Corporate Spyware

[FuzzyAce]

They can ask anything they want. This is the nature of how contracts work (in the USA). Including employment contracts. It's neither illegal or unethical.

I meant it as they shouldn't expect people to comply with a personal device. That's not reasonable. Of course they can ask though, but they should expect to lose good people if they don't provide a work device.

 

[EOengineer]

I have a simple rule. My work stuff never touches personal stuff and personal stuff never touches work stuff.

They stay physically separated. Now more than ever it’s important to set boundaries with companies.

 

[iaresee]

I have a simple rule. My work stuff never touches personal stuff and personal stuff never touches work stuff.

This is the same rule I've lived by for 20+ years.

Always boggled my mind that people would use their work email for personal comms and whatnot. I guess there was a time that having an email address was something exclusively associated with working for a company. But those days are long gone.

Also, when people only have a work-provided laptop.

 

[iaresee]

which I think it technically is required

Depends on the state. And it can be gotten around. For example, at all the SF-based tech companies I've worked at in the past decade, for engineering departments, it was claimed that any compensation for cellular devices was already a part of your full time salary. That's pretty much the norm for new tech companies. It's also a taxable benefit if they do comp you for a cellular.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

It's also a taxable benefit if they do comp you for a cellular.

Wow. In the UK I'm used to my company car being a taxable benefit but not my work phone. I've always viewed my work phone and my work laptop as tools to do my job and nothing else. I'd never use them for anything in my private life and will never use my personal devices for anything work related.

 

[spawnofthesith]

My work laptop is 90% browsing TFG, 10% spreadsheets

 

[laxu]

My work laptop is 90% browsing TFG, 10% spreadsheets

When I'm waiting for automated tests to complete, TGF it is.

We do have device management software on laptops, but I'm still in full control of everything (can install anything I want and so on) so nothing is locked down. For phones it's either "use your own phone and the company pays the phone bill" or "get a phone from the company". I've been using my own and they haven't asked to install any management software so it's fine.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

My work laptop is 90% browsing TFG, 10% spreadsheets

I use my personal phone for that in work

 

[Enchilada Jones]

I’d ask them if they saw what happened to the health insurance dude in manhattan last week.


not advocating violence but merely exploring the universe of no limits to one’s seeking advantage.

 

[DrewJD82]

I have a simple rule. My work stuff never touches personal stuff and personal stuff never touches work stuff.

They stay physically separated. Now more than ever it’s important to set boundaries with companies.

This, 1000x over. I'm sometimes on my work phone 60-80x a day, one of my biggest fears is that my personal number will get out there. That and I simply wouldn't be able to actually work on my personal phone without muting everyone and everything giving me alerts. My dad alone sends me a dozen IG vids a day.

 

[Jarick]

I would refuse. If they want you to use your cell phone, they should be reimbursing your expenses and no spyware. If they want you to use the spyware, they should provide a cell phone and pay for everything.

 

[Jarick]

I have a simple rule. My work stuff never touches personal stuff and personal stuff never touches work stuff.

They stay physically separated. Now more than ever it’s important to set boundaries with companies.

At my old company I was constantly posting here and doing personal stuff on my computer. Now I never do; I keep my personal laptop to the side and my work laptop as my primary.

I do have Outlook and Teams on my phone for notifications, and I do have MS authenticator as it makes life easier. But no company firewall stuff.

 

[paisleywookiee]

It's also important to note what it is, precisely, that they're doing. For most of the companies I've worked for what's getting installed is a certificate that allows remote management and beyond that nothing else. The remote management is used in case the device is lost to trigger a lock and/or wipe of the device from Corp Sec or Corp IT. Given phones are used for a lot of corporate 2FA, that's important to be able to do.

Yeah, there's an option for "BYOD" in Intune MDM for example, where it doesn't monitor anything but corporate-pushed apps, doesn't track the phone's location, etc. and is just used for wiping corporate data. It could be that that's all they want. But still, it's why I happily carry two iPhones. Another reason to avoid company data on personal hardware is because depending on the industry, your hardware could be FOIA'd, or confiscated for a lawsuit, etc. even if there's absolutely nothing nefarious you did.
Separation of work and personal is important for so many reasons, and I think many people lost that during COVID, sometimes out of emergency necessity.

 

[JasonE]

I have used my personal cell phone for my jobs for decades. However, none of them ever stated that I needed to install an app so they can do anything with my phone. That is where I would draw the line.

People tried to fight the use of the personal phone by the company we worked for years ago. They lost. The reason is that it was considered like a tool to do the job. It was no different than a mechanic needing to provide their own tools to do the job.

If I had to do this to keep my job, I would ask for a raise or reimbursement for a phone and add another phone to my plan. There is no way I would let them have access to my main phone. Even if I did buy another phone for this purpose, I would be tempted to surf porn on it and if they said anything I would tell them I do what I want with MY phone. You are the ones that decided you needed access to it so enjoy the view.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

Work phone. Do not install any of this BS on a personal device.