[Infowarrior] - Microsoft seeks patent for office 'spy' software

[Richard Forno]

>From The Times
January 15, 2008
Microsoft seeks patent for office 'spy' software
Alexi Mostrous and David Brown

http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3193480.ece

Microsoft is developing Big Brother-style software capable of remotely
monitoring a worker¹s productivity, physical wellbeing and competence.

The Times has seen a patent application filed by the company for a computer
system that links workers to their computers via wireless sensors that
measure their metabolism. The system would allow managers to monitor
employees¹ performance by measuring their heart rate, body temperature,
movement, facial expression and blood pressure. Unions said they fear that
employees could be dismissed on the basis of a computer¹s assessment of
their physiological state.

Technology allowing constant monitoring of workers was previously limited to
pilots, firefighters and Nasa astronauts. This is believed to be the first
time a company has proposed developing such software for mainstream
workplaces.

Microsoft submitted a patent application in the US for a ³unique monitoring
system² that could link workers to their computers. Wireless sensors could
read ³heart rate, galvanic skin response, EMG, brain signals, respiration
rate, body temperature, movement facial movements, facial expressions and
blood pressure², the application states.
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The system could also ³automatically detect frustration or stress in the
user² and ³offer and provide assistance accordingly². Physical changes to an
employee would be matched to an individual psychological profile based on a
worker¹s weight, age and health. If the system picked up an increase in
heart rate or facial expressions suggestive of stress or frustration, it
would tell management that he needed help.

The Information Commissioner, civil liberties groups and privacy lawyers
strongly criticised the potential of the system for ³taking the idea of
monitoring people at work to a new level². Hugh Tomlinson, QC, an expert on
data protection law at Matrix Chambers, told The Times: ³This system
involves intrusion into every single aspect of the lives of the employees.
It raises very serious privacy issues.²

Peter Skyte, a national officer for the union Unite, said: ³This system
takes the idea of monitoring people at work to a new level with a new level
of invasiveness but in a very old-fashioned way because it monitors what is
going in rather than the results.² The Information Commissioner¹s Office
said: ³Imposing this level of intrusion on employees could only be justified
in exceptional circumstances.²

The US Patent Office confirmed last night that the application was published
last month, 18 months after being filed. Patent lawyers said that it could
be granted within a year.

Microsoft last night refused to comment on the application, but said: ³We
have over 7,000 patents worldwide and we are proud of the quality of these
patents and the innovations they represent. As a general practice, we do not
typically comment on pending patent applications because claims made in the
application may be modified through the approval process.²