Posted: 9/2/2009 4:44:20 AM EDT
| Is this legal? Without informing the employees what is going on? |
|
Quoted:
There's no right to privacy for an employee in the course of their work in the US. However, if they shoot you with a dart gun and insert a GPS chip under your skin . . . that's a different story. R. My employer has GPS installed in most all of the vehicles. Most employees have had their ears tagged with RFID chips. j/k mm |
|
I used to write installation instructions for a vehicle GPS based tracking system about 10 years ago. Dinosaur by today's standards. Used to track all of SW Bell's vehicles, Walmart trucks, and some other major trucking companies. I think Qualcom has that market sewed up now. Anyway, it's not anything new.
There was one case where a SW Bell bucket truck would crank up and appear in the middle of no where in the middle of the night at random. They claimed there was a glitch in the system. One night the truck appeared in the mystery location, so they loaded up and drove to the area. It was way out in the country. They arrived at the location and found the truck with the bucket extended up in the air in the middle of a field. Up in the bucket was a guy with a rifle. He was using the bucket truck to hunt hogs at night. 
|
|
It is perfectly legal for an employer to GPS tag their company owned vehicles. They cannot tag an employee's POV without consent of the vehicle owner. You cannot even tag your spouse's vehicle if your name is not on the registration.
Over a decade ago I worked for a company that was putting them in our company vehicles; I told them if they didn't trust me to fire me now rather than have a GPS nanny. I worked out of state from where the company was anyway. I kept my job and no GPS tracker. |
|
Quoted:
I used to write installation instructions for a vehicle GPS based tracking system about 10 years ago. Dinosaur by today's standards. Used to track all of SW Bell's vehicles, Walmart trucks, and some other major trucking companies. I think Qualcom has that market sewed up now. Anyway, it's not anything new. There was one case where a SW Bell bucket truck would crank up and appear in the middle of no where in the middle of the night at random. They claimed there was a glitch in the system. One night the truck appeared in the mystery location, so they loaded up and drove to the area. It was way out in the country. They arrived at the location and found the truck with the bucket extended up in the air in the middle of a field. Up in the bucket was a guy with a rifle. He was using the bucket truck to hunt hogs at night.
wow that had to be a scary experience and im glad the guy decided to go peacefully. I could see the guy panicking and trying to shoot people from the watchtower so to speak. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
I used to write installation instructions for a vehicle GPS based tracking system about 10 years ago. Dinosaur by today's standards. Used to track all of SW Bell's vehicles, Walmart trucks, and some other major trucking companies. I think Qualcom has that market sewed up now. Anyway, it's not anything new. There was one case where a SW Bell bucket truck would crank up and appear in the middle of no where in the middle of the night at random. They claimed there was a glitch in the system. One night the truck appeared in the mystery location, so they loaded up and drove to the area. It was way out in the country. They arrived at the location and found the truck with the bucket extended up in the air in the middle of a field. Up in the bucket was a guy with a rifle. He was using the bucket truck to hunt hogs at night.
wow that had to be a scary experience and im glad the guy decided to go peacefully. I could see the guy panicking and trying to shoot people from the watchtower so to speak. Just because he is hunting hogs? Geez dude... That's kinda a weird statement. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I used to write installation instructions for a vehicle GPS based tracking system about 10 years ago. Dinosaur by today's standards. Used to track all of SW Bell's vehicles, Walmart trucks, and some other major trucking companies. I think Qualcom has that market sewed up now. Anyway, it's not anything new. There was one case where a SW Bell bucket truck would crank up and appear in the middle of no where in the middle of the night at random. They claimed there was a glitch in the system. One night the truck appeared in the mystery location, so they loaded up and drove to the area. It was way out in the country. They arrived at the location and found the truck with the bucket extended up in the air in the middle of a field. Up in the bucket was a guy with a rifle. He was using the bucket truck to hunt hogs at night.
wow that had to be a scary experience and im glad the guy decided to go peacefully. I could see the guy panicking and trying to shoot people from the watchtower so to speak. Just because he is hunting hogs? Geez dude... That's kinda a weird statement. Must be a tree hugger.
|
|
Quoted:
I used to write installation instructions for a vehicle GPS based tracking system about 10 years ago. Dinosaur by today's standards. Used to track all of SW Bell's vehicles, Walmart trucks, and some other major trucking companies. I think Qualcom has that market sewed up now. Anyway, it's not anything new. There was one case where a SW Bell bucket truck would crank up and appear in the middle of no where in the middle of the night at random. They claimed there was a glitch in the system. One night the truck appeared in the mystery location, so they loaded up and drove to the area. It was way out in the country. They arrived at the location and found the truck with the bucket extended up in the air in the middle of a field. Up in the bucket was a guy with a rifle. He was using the bucket truck to hunt hogs at night.
That has me laughing my ass off.... I work with some folks who probably have tried just that. I'm going to have fun sharing this one around the garage tomorrow morning! Semper Fi |
|
Quoted:
So, to push the question a little bit farther... It's easy now to track the location of cell phones. What about them? Technically you are tracking the location of the phone, and not the employee, but effectively you are tracking the employee. Nextel are GPS ready and $19.95 a months shows you 15min. pings 24/7. 
|
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
So, to push the question a little bit farther... It's easy now to track the location of cell phones. What about them? Technically you are tracking the location of the phone, and not the employee, but effectively you are tracking the employee. Nextel are GPS ready and $19.95 a months shows you 15min. pings 24/7.
link? |
|
Quoted:
Apple iPhones are embedding Exif data into every picture you take which includes the GPS coordinates. So I'm pretty sure this thing is constantly pinging away my location data to someone somewhere. But of course, I'm one of millions of sheep out there. Neg. You have to allow and turn on the GPS picture function. Remember when you first got your iphone? Every time an application wanted to use your location you had to "Allow" or "Block." You can also turn off location services in the Settings -> General menu. Either way, this is about the legality of an employer tracking the location of it's employees via the employee's (assigned or owned) phone. Legal or not legal? |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Apple iPhones are embedding Exif data into every picture you take which includes the GPS coordinates. So I'm pretty sure this thing is constantly pinging away my location data to someone somewhere. But of course, I'm one of millions of sheep out there. Neg. You have to allow and turn on the GPS picture function. Remember when you first got your iphone? Every time an application wanted to use your location you had to "Allow" or "Block." You can also turn off location services in the Settings -> General menu. Either way, this is about the legality of an employer tracking the location of it's employees via the employee's (assigned or owned) phone. Legal or not legal? There is no law that prohibits an individual or company from tracking anything that it owns. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Apple iPhones are embedding Exif data into every picture you take which includes the GPS coordinates. So I'm pretty sure this thing is constantly pinging away my location data to someone somewhere. But of course, I'm one of millions of sheep out there. Neg. You have to allow and turn on the GPS picture function. Remember when you first got your iphone? Every time an application wanted to use your location you had to "Allow" or "Block." You can also turn off location services in the Settings -> General menu. Either way, this is about the legality of an employer tracking the location of it's employees via the employee's (assigned or owned) phone. Legal or not legal? There is no law that prohibits an individual or company from tracking anything that it owns. Which is why I'm glad I don't have to drive a company car or carry a company cell phone. And I sure as hell am not going to let them track my vehicle, phone or especially not myself. |
|
Quoted:
TWIC card tracks the 24/7 and it is supposed to be in your possession 24/7. So I guess that means it tracks you 24/7. I googled that... but there is so much out there I'm not sure where to start... What employers require people to carry these? Can they transmit through if you put them inside one of those lead lined bags used to shield film from x-rays? Are people required to carry them 24/7 required to actually be track-able, or could they use a technological means like blocking to maintain their privacy when off-the-clock? Does "in your possession" require "on your person" or would storage at a safe location at your residence or workplace be sufficient? This is very disturbing... Edit –– after further reading the TWIC isn't quite as disturbing. It is a "smart" card, but is only readable from a few feet away. It does not use GPS or transmit cell phone signals, etc. I believe it would be easy to block the reading of the cards with shielding as mentioned above and it does not appear that people who have them are required to have them on their person 24/7, merely that they are required to access "secure" areas at ports. Pretty much only people who work in the transportation industry would ever need one. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
TWIC card tracks the 24/7 and it is supposed to be in your possession 24/7. So I guess that means it tracks you 24/7. I googled that... but there is so much out there I'm not sure where to start... What employers require people to carry these? Can they transmit through if you put them inside one of those lead lined bags used to shield film from x-rays? Are people required to carry them 24/7 required to actually be track-able, or could they use a technological means like blocking to maintain their privacy when off-the-clock? Does "in your possession" require "on your person" or would storage at a safe location at your residence or workplace be sufficient? This is very disturbing... Edit –– after further reading the TWIC isn't quite as disturbing. It is a "smart" card, but is only readable from a few feet away. It does not use GPS or transmit cell phone signals, etc. I believe it would be easy to block the reading of the cards with shielding as mentioned above and it does not appear that people who have them are required to have them on their person 24/7, merely that they are required to access "secure" areas at ports. Pretty much only people who work in the transportation industry would ever need one. Not sure what a TWIC is but sounds like RFID. http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/security/8cdd/ If you live in Houston (or anywhere with a similar system) and have a TollTag. Guess what? They're tracking you everywhere you go. Even on the non-tollroads. They use vehicles with the EZPass installed to calculate travel times and traffic levels on all the major roads. http://traffic.houstontranstar.org/aviinfo/avi-tech.html http://traffic.houstontranstar.org/aviinfo/avi-hou.html With Cisco wireless access points and controller, it's possible to track the location of any employee with a powered RFID card or badge to within one meter. The greater the access point density, the more precise the location fix. Of course, this only applies to company property with AP's installed and addressable over the company WAN by the controller. |
|
Lol a Twic card cannot track you it its only a plastic laminated card embeded with a micro chip with your personel iid informationt that can only be read from certain badge scanners.
Transportation Workers Identification Card issued by lockheed Martin services. Now a requirement for access into any federally regulated comercial property aka refineries and ports. so in short its an id badge. |
|
Quoted:
If you live in Houston (or anywhere with a similar system) and have a TollTag. Guess what? They're tracking you everywhere you go. Even on the non-tollroads. They use vehicles with the EZPass installed to calculate travel times and traffic levels on all the major roads. Another good reason to boycott toll roads. |
|
Quoted: Lol a Twic card cannot track you it its only a plastic laminated card embeded with a micro chip with your personel iid informationt that can only be read from certain badge scanners. Transportation Workers Identification Card issued by lockheed Martin services. Now a requirement for access into any federally regulated comercial property aka refineries and ports. so in short its an id badge. Not so sure about the tracking issue. I was told by a member of Homeland Security this card is trackable. So now I am curious what the real story is. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Lol a Twic card cannot track you it its only a plastic laminated card embeded with a micro chip with your personel iid informationt that can only be read from certain badge scanners. Transportation Workers Identification Card issued by lockheed Martin services. Now a requirement for access into any federally regulated comercial property aka refineries and ports. so in short its an id badge. Not so sure about the tracking issue. I was told by a member of Homeland Security this card is trackable. So now I am curious what the real story is. See my post on the previous page. While i was referring to Active RFID badges (as in powered with a small battery) it is entirely possible to track the movements of all personnel with passive (unpowered) badges via readers placed in close proximity. Approximately three meters or so. For example, just above doorways any low cielinged hallway or any entry point. Keep in mind, when you have a TollTag, you are passing through the toll booth at 60 MPH. The reader is at least 10 feet away and there is a pane of glass or even sheetmetal between the reader and your TollTag. Even at that speed and with signal blocking material in-between the reader is still successfully pinging the RFID TollTag. As for secured doorways requiring a badge to enter or exit: I watched two workers at an airport at a secure door. One worker scanned his badge, went through, the shut the door. Then the second woker performed the same action. It has to be a severe punishment for ignoring the policy for workers to abide by such requirements. |