| Kippreport.com

Big brother is watching you…at work

July 2, 2012 4:58 by Eva Fernandes

Google recently announced the launch of Google Maps Coordinate–a new application which can allow a business to track the location of their employees. Though this may sound like your horrible micro-manager boss dreams come true, the app was developed for the purpose of increasing efficiency of location-based services like pizza delivery companies or mechanics and repair men.

The application, which costs $15 per employee, will let the employer know the coordinates of the employee every five seconds. Of course, the employee will have the right to switch the app on, off and even go ‘invisible’ if they want to-but all at the discretion of their employer.

As this commentary from TIME magazine suggests, location-based tracking systems are far from new. Yet, making the services available on something as commonplace and mainstream as Google Maps for a paltry price of $15 is cause for alarm. If Kipp was to put on our doomsday hat we’d probably warn you of the truth behind the eerie predictions of George Orwell. Instead we are going to smugly take comfort in the slow pace at which companies in the UAE adapt to new technology.