Corporate secrets and Cell Phone Cameras

First of all if you want to go see about personal privacy and cell phone cameras go to this thread http://www.antionline.com/showthread...hreadid=244770.

I saw today on techtv that many companies have banned picture taking cell phones. "Picture phones represent the latest craze in cellphone technology. But these small lenses have caused big policy changes at major auto companies, which have banned the phones from product-testing areas and sensitive design centers. With more than 10 million camera phones sold worldwide this year, expect more companies to follow suit"
this was from Sumi Das of the techtv show "Tech Live."

This could be a major revolution in many companies' policies of not restricting a healthy amount of communication in the workplace. Next they might limit email (someplaces already have) and other forms of communication all for the sake of their proprietary and ""Secret"" information.

Are you saying that proprietary and "Secret" information which is an important and healthy part of a competitive economy, should give way to people sending pictures of their pet rats via cell phone?

Of course not but I believe that companies may let this go to their head and start limiting free speech and free communication all in the name of corporate privacy when most workers have no interest in stealing trade secrets.

This is in no way limiting free speach or communications. If a worker isn't interested in stealing trade secrates then he shouldn't mind leaving his cell phone outside, besides why do you need your cell phone inside your office? A company that dosn't inact a policy like this can expect there competiters to take advantage of them.

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Originally posted here by CyberSpyder
Of course not but I believe that companies may let this go to their head and start limiting free speech and free communication all in the name of corporate privacy when most workers have no interest in stealing trade secrets.

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When you are using company resources and equipment there is no such thing as free speech OR free communication. You are on their payroll and using their systems to fulfill their contracts, not to chat with your buddy or send pics of the kids to grandma. My last venture inside of the corporate world was with a company that allowed NO communications outside of that particular facility without permission from upper management and the system admin. Do what you want at home, but when you're on the clock the company OWNS YOU.

Given the practices I've seen in the past, I can't say that I blame them....

I see you're point even though I refuse to think that all people should be limited by what some people have done, I do agree that the company can and must do what they deem neccessary for them.



Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous.

-Confucius

Unfortunately with our legal system rules cannot be made that single out individuals so everyone must suffer because of an inconsiderate few. So why arn't we putting the blame on those few. Restrictive rules wouldn't be necessary if we all just spoke out when someone acted wrongly rather than sheepishly not getting involved. the loss of our freedoms makes us all involved if we want to be or not.

if rules are made that restrict cell phones with or without webcams from work areas it will be partly because a few idiots abused a privilage but mostly because everyone else allowed it by not doing or saying anything

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Originally posted here by bballad
... besides why do you need your cell phone inside your office? ...

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well let's be pragmatic here. I use my cell phone in my office ALL the time. I do receive a lot of calls on my cell though because of the nature of my job. I'm rarely sitting at my desk for any period of time because there is almost always something going on in one of the datacenters that fall under my jurisdiction and most of my communication will occur in a server room.

So that means I always carry my cell with me, even when I'm in the office.

I know the sales people are like that too, and I'm sure this isn't limited to just my company as it's been this way for a few years for me.

Now I do agree about leaving a camera/cell phone outside of sensitive areas, but I wouldn't try to make a discrimination between a regular cell phone and a camera/cell phone when I wrote the policy. I would just ban cell phones from that area unless there is a written waiver by one of the officers of the company. That limits the amount of risk you are exposed to, and also creates a level of accountability for people.

well you guys are lucky you even have cell phones, I'm a highschool college and all my friends have cell phones, even my soon to be step brother (my dad's getting remarried) has a cell phone. (sorry to be off topic)

Personally, I understand where te companies are coming from. If a cell phone is required to work, and the company is paranoid about sensitive images being sent, then they should provide "company" approved cellphones for it's employees. I would be more then happy to leave mine in the car, if the job's gonna provide me one for work.