Protecting Workers From Bossware Technologies

In separate Op-eds by the Tech Institute in collaboration with Massachusetts AFL-CIO president Chrissy Lynch and Connecticut AFL-CIO president Ed Hawthorne, these pieces expose how "bossware" technologies enable unprecedented workplace monitoring—from keystroke tracking to AI-analyzed communications to remote webcam activation. Drawing on worker experiences across sectors and research showing overwhelming bipartisan support for transparency in workplace monitoring, these op-eds examine state legislative solutions like the Massachusetts FAIR Act and similar protections.  States can lead in protecting worker privacy and dignity where federal action lags. Co-authored by Amanda Ballantyne, the Center for Democracy and Technology’s Matt Scherer.