One day after a surprising resurrection of the federal domestic spying investigation in which it has played an ignominious role, ATT today will announce a different sort of domestic spying program - this one completely above board (at least for those doing the spying).
From this morning's New York Times:
AT&T plans to introduce a nationwide program today that gives owners of small- and medium-size businesses some of the same tools big security companies offer for monitoring employees, customers and operations from remote locations.
Under AT&T's Remote Monitor program, a business owner could install adjustable cameras, door sensors and other gadgets at up to five different company locations across the country.
One beta customer tells the newspaper that Remote Monitor does have a "1984" feel, but, after all, it's for the employees' own good, right?
"It is Big Brother, but in this day and age, you need these type of tools" for theft protection, weeding out false accident claims and other risks, said Beaux Roby, owner of a chain of five Mama's Café restaurants and two banquet halls in Texas. Mr. Roby has been using the system for nine weeks as part of a pilot program. "You have fraudulent claims from customers that trip and fall and things like that," he said.
Aside from helping to verify insurance claims, the system can detect break-ins, alert an owner if a boiler breaks down and monitor employees who "are just sitting around on the clock not doing what they're supposed to be doing," Mr. Roby said. In one instance, he said, a worker seen operating a meat slicer without wearing protective gloves was reprimanded.
Not for nothing do they call the guy's chain Mama's Café.
Eye-rolling aside, it's not difficult to imagine legitimate uses and a receptive market for AT&T's Remote Monitor. Of course, there is no new ground being broken here, either; not in a society that has seen keeping an eye on everyone become KGB-like, whether we're talking about the workplace, the highway, spying on opponents in sporting events, or even our own children.
Soon there will be no refuge. ... Maybe we're already there.
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