Technology helps bosses spy on workers in home offices

Quoting the Wall Street Journal:

In a budding trend some employment experts say is invasive, companies are stepping up electronic monitoring and oversight of tens of thousands of home-based independent contractors. They're taking photos of workers' computer screens at random, counting keystrokes and mouse clicks and snapping photos of them at their computers. They're plying sophisticated technology to instantaneously detect anger, raised voices or children crying in the background on workers' home-office calls. Others are using Darwinian routing systems that keep calls coming so fast workers have no time to go to the bathroom.

With many information professionals working in home offices -- either for their full-time employers or on contract with specific clients -- these types of tactics are something we should be aware of.  The article does state some upside to them, but obviously, there are downsides too.