No Place for Privacy in the Workplace

While we do not have to sell our souls to the corporate devil quite yet, we do apparently have to sell our privacy. So said the Supreme Court 9-0 yesterday, arguing that companies can read the private text messages of employees: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-court-worker-texting-20100618,0,7772406.story. To be fair, it's actually not private companies at all, but the 20 million employees of state and local governments as well as federal employees. It also appears that it only relates to phones given to you by the agency. However, the questinon in the case revolved around private text messages used by an employee who was told he could use the phone for private messages. Why then is the police chief in this case able to check those messages? Apparently the rights of employers trump employees here. The question of whether this case will serve as precedent for private companies is a serious concern though, as is the thought that it might extend to private phones at some point. Many companies already block access to certain websites (which seems fair) and track professional emails (sometimes more troubling, depending on how scanning is done). And without much fanfare, Wal*Mart started using technology a few years ago that would allow someone to quickly walk through your apartment and scan all the products you bought through a tiny microchip they use for shipping and receiving. It appears that employers continue to gain more and more rights, as those of employees are increasingly challenged.