Public service members highlight concerns over digital surveillance at Conference

Delegates at Prospect’s Public Services Sector conference supported a motion on concerns over the increased use of surveillance technology at work.

The motion was proposed by the Forestry Scotland branch and supported by delegates from the Department for Transport branch.

In the debate delegates highlighted that surveillance is proliferating in both private life and workplace situations, and while there may be rules in place, members were often not confident that they would be followed in practice.

They highlighted the use of smartphone locks, which could therefore track where a worker had been as well as the expansion in the use of body worn and vehicle CCTV in some workplaces.

The motion calls on Prospect to “collate the concerns of members, and work with branches to raise these with employers” and seek proper assurance data will only be use for valid purposes.