Europe Makes It Illegal To Spy On Employees Via Webcam 

Court in the Netherlands bans companies from requiring employees to have their webcams on. 

The American company Chetu fired an employee from the Netherlands for refusing to keep the webcam constantly on during working hours. A Dutch court called the employer’s decision illegal and a violation of human rights.

The plaintiff has been working remotely as a telemarketer since January 2019. On August 23, 2022, he was instructed to participate in a virtual “Corrective Action Program” organized by his employer. Under this new initiative, an employee was required to stay connected throughout the workday with screen sharing enabled and webcam activated.

The man agreed that the employer can view his screen during working hours.  However, the camera did not want to turn on. “I don’t feel comfortable being monitored by a camera for 9 hours a day. This is an invasion of my privacy and it makes me feel very uncomfortable. That is why my camera is not turned on, ”the man said. The company then fired the man for “refusal to work” and “insubordination.”

The court ruled that “instructions to keep the webcam on all the time are contrary to workers’ right to privacy.”