Australian employers are increasingly using advanced technology, including artificial intelligence, to monitor employees, a trend raising privacy concerns. The Human Technology Institute at the University of Technology Sydney warns that much of this surveillance occurs without employee awareness.
The institute released a report Tuesday detailing pervasive workplace monitoring across various sectors. From factories to retail and office settings, surveillance tools like CCTV, keystroke trackers, and instant messaging monitoring are widespread. A new Microsoft Teams feature even updates a worker's location when they connect to the office Wi-Fi, highlighting the deep integration of these technologies.
Surveillance is unsettling employees. In a fast-food restaurant, cameras intended to curb phone use raised fears they'd be installed in change rooms, deterring young staff from using them. Meanwhile, a cashier at a major supermarket received a final warning after AI flagged her for mistakes, despite an error rate of just 0.18%, equating to one mistake every 533 scans.
The Human Technology Institute is urging the federal government to incorporate privacy safeguards into workplace laws. Current exemptions in the Privacy Act, particularly for employee records and small businesses, have allowed workplace surveillance to expand unchecked. A March 2026 survey by Minderoo found that while 43% of Australians are aware of AI monitoring at work, only 9% recognize it in their own jobs.
Professor Edward Santow, the institute's co-director, emphasizes the need for transparency in workplace surveillance. However, he argues that transparency alone isn't sufficient. He advocates for amending the Fair Work Act to include a test for the fairness and reasonableness of monitoring systems. Santow stated that it should be made clear that monitoring workers must be fair and reasonable.
The report also suggests granting the minister power to ban surveillance products posing an "unacceptable risk" to workers' rights. Federal concerns are rising over the increasing use of smart glasses that could secretly monitor employees. The proposed legal changes would require employers to discuss intended surveillance with employees and improve the quality of workers' consent.
On Tuesday, the Human Technology Institute will present its findings to the joint standing committee on artificial intelligence. This is the third week of hearings on AI in the workplace. Several unions, eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant, and representatives from groups like the CSIRO and the Australian Medical Association will participate in the discussions.
Labor senator Tony Sheldon, a committee member, expressed serious concerns regarding the growing workplace surveillance. He remarked that the report raises critical concerns about the impact of workplace surveillance on the privacy, health, and dignity of working Australians, particularly when many employees don’t even know they’re being monitored.
The committee is addressing these issues, considering legislative changes to protect workers' privacy rights. As hearings continue, the focus remains on balancing technological advances with employees' fundamental rights.
