UNIT 17? Social Issues

Technology in the Workplace Violates Workers' Privacy

詞匯講解:

violate：侵犯；

privacy：隱私；

A

We are living in a world where data, or information, has become a powerful commodity. Massive advances in computer technology are having a two-pronged effect. They are not only making it possible to collect information that at one time went largely unrecorded, but they are also making it relatively easy to store, analyse and retrieve information in ways which, until quite recently, were impossible. It is perhaps not surprising that computer technology is being used in government intelligence agencies to monitor people and practices. However, what is less obvious is the rapid rise in the use of surveillance in companies.

詞匯講解:

prong：尖端；陰面；

two-pronged：雙面的，多面的；

intelligence agency：情報機關(guān)；

B

The amount of information already being collected as a matter of routine would surprise most people. For example, any spending that involves a credit or bank debit card, in fact, most financial transactions, is automatically recorded on computer databases. A telephone call to any government agency will most likely be monitored. Mobile phone companies have equipment that allows them to track the location of anyone who has a phone switched on. Supermarkets, through their checkout processes, electronically record every item being bought by their customers. Electronic toil-booths and traffic-monitoring systems record the movement of individual vehicles. Closed-circuit television cameras now scan most city centres. The increasing widespread use of surveillance technologies and techniques has led to fears that soon there will be no personal privacy to protect.

詞匯講解:

routine：每日行程，日常工作；

switch：開關(guān)；

switch on：開機。

circuit：循環(huán)，通路；

closed-circuit television：閉路電視；

privacy?? n.? 隱私；

private?? adj.? 私人的。

CCTV? Closed Circuit Television 中央監(jiān)控系統(tǒng)

C

These large organizations and companies, however, are not only monitoring their customers, they are just as interested in their employees A 1997 survey by the American Management Association (AMA) of 900 large companies found that nearly two thirds admitted to some form of electronic surveillance of their workers. Another AMA survey of 526 companies in 2005 found that more than half of the companies surveyed used video surveillance. 86% of the companies surveyed notified their employees of the practice with 80% notifying the employees of when they are actually being watched. The study found that the number of companies using video surveillance to monitor employees' on-the-job performance is increasing.

D

To employers, video surveillance is a means to expose misconduct, theft, vandalism, violence and even sabotage. It is a way to reduce security risks and legal liability. It is also a cheaper alternative to other forms of security and supervision. However, employees claim video surveillance has the potential to dehumanise their working environment, denying them a reasonable expectation of privacy. They also believe it harasses individuals by putting them under constant view.

詞匯講解:

vandalism：破壞行為；

dehumanise：使非人化，使喪失人性；

deny：否定，否認；拒絕給予；拒絕…的要求；

reasonable：合理的；

expectation：預(yù)期；

E

Another common form of workplace surveillance is to monitor email messages sent or received by employees. According to the American Management Association (AMA) study, the largest increase in workplace surveillance was in the storage and review of email messages. Businesses argue that by monitoring emails they will be able to catch employees who send offensive or abusive email messages. Another assertion commonly used by companies to support the use of email surveillance is that it stops employees from sending confidential files to rival firms. However, this argument does not mean it can stop company secrets from leaking out by other means such as printing, photocopying, photographing or by fax.

詞匯講解:

offensive：攻擊的；冒犯的；無禮的；討厭的；

abusive：辱罵的；濫用的；虐待的；

assertion：斷言，聲明；

confidential：機密的，保密的；

leak：泄漏；

F

Powerful new software makes it easy for bosses to monitor and record not only all e-mail messages, but every keystroke and telephone conversation as well as the exact whereabouts of employees. Tracking devices through mobile phones and on company vehicles can monitor employees' movements outside of the office, while the use of access cards and ‘a(chǎn)ctive badges' monitor individual's movements inside the office. According to employers, vehicle tracking is used to increase efficiency, to enhance customer service, for security, and to comply with safety requirements. However, employees complain they do not want their employers secretly tracking their movements. Others resent employers tracking their every movement throughout the day, including during break times. They also fear that tracking devices will be used to unfairly discipline drivers.

G

　　The modern workplace is undergoing great changes caused primarily by the information processing ability of high-powered computers and advanced software. Companies compete against each other and there is intense competition in the marketplace. Anything which might improve a firm's efficiency and productivity could mean the difference between success and failure. However, the fact remains, if particular systems can be used to monitor a computer or an individual's movements without the knowledge of the computer user or the person concerned, then it is very likely that such systems will be used for purposes other than their intended purpose.

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IELTS Type Questions: Reading: for Details and for Main Ideas

　　Table Completion

　　Complete the table below.

　　Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

?

video ? surveillance

monitoring ? emails

tracking ? devices

Arguments ? supporting...

exposes ? misconduct; exposes theft; is a less expensive 1) ______ to other forms of ? security

catch ? people who send offensive or abusive messages; stop people sending 5) ______ ? to rival firms

On ? vehicles monitor movements outside the office; increase 7) ______; comply ? with safety requirements

Arguments ? opposing

has ? the potential to 2) ______workplaces; denies right to 3) ______ 4) ______ ? people by putting them constantly under view

do ? not stop company secrets from 6) ______ by means such as photocopying or ? printing

secret ? tracking of movements by employers; every movement being followed even at 8) ? ______; fear drivers will be unfairly disciplined

填表題答題原則：“橫看豎看”