Monitoring employees is an old trend, even before the technology revolution. After the COVID pandemic, more than 16% of global companies switched to fully remote working.
While working from home, this question may come to your mind, Can my employer monitor my personal phone?
The simple answer is not simple. Employers usually can not go through your texts or phone calls when using your personal phone.
If the employer has a written contract about the monitoring or is paying your phone bills, there is an excellent chance that your employer is monitoring your personal phone.
Definitely, human minds hated to be monitored. Let’s dive into this well-researched article to know the privacy laws and your rights about monitoring your personal phone.
Check out our post to know Can My Employer Monitor My Personal Computer
What Can Employers Monitor?
Employers can monitor employees’ office phones, personal phones, office laptops/desktops, and even personal accounts. However, it highly depends on who owns the devices and accounts and the organization’s written policies.
Employers can monitor every text, email, and phone call if you use an office-provided phone. The employer can also record the phone calls, as the phone is the employer’s property.
When using personal phones, employers usually can not monitor or listen to your phone calls. Employers can only monitor your personal data if you sign a written contract permitting them to monitor your personal devices.
If you are using a device owned by the employer, he can track the activity of your device and even can go through your personal emails and social accounts.
Can Employer See My Internet Activity on My Phone?
The employer can see your phone’s internet activity when the office provides the device, and the network you are using is the office network. When the company is paying for your phone bills, they can monitor your device to ensure the best uses of the phone.
The new working revolution encourages businesses to migrate to an online space, and the demand for using devices is also increasing rapidly. Using a phone is one of them. It can easily manage most office communication, including emails and phone calls.
Nowadays, the office provides a phone for employees to make communication easier and keep track of the employee’s performance. It also helps the employer control the device’s uses and misuses.
Employers can set up tracking software on your phone to monitor your online activity and where you spend most of your time. It also helps employers to stick to their budgets.
Why Do Employers Monitor Phone Activity?
There are multiple reasons your employers want to monitor your phone activity. Monitoring phone activities can help to reduce the data loss risk and generate data on employees’ productivity.
Another important reason for monitoring phone activities is to avoid lawsuits for the misuse of the device. By tracking phone activities, employers can use the data in a dispute.
Monitoring phone activities also helps to ensure the employees are not involved in treasonous activities and not putting the company at any risk by doing illegal activities.
Besides, tracking employees’ phone activity can help to terminate any potential fishing activities and reduce the chance of losing confidential data to a third party.
By surfing through the phone activity, employers can find out how employers are using their office hours and can take steps to boost productivity.
Follow our guide on how to Tell If Your Employer is Monitoring Your Computer
How Can Employer Track My Phone Activity?
Employers can track your phone activity by following different ways. If you are using a phone provided by the office, the employer has the right to monitor your phone. Also, when using your personal phone for office work, the employer can monitor your online activity.
1. Using a phone tracker application
There are numerous available applications to monitor phone activities. It doesn’t matter which OS your phone is running; the phone tracker application can easily be found for your device.
One of the best applications for tracking phone activities is mSpy. Employers can install this software on Android and iPhone without being detected.
The mSpy application can monitor texts, social media messages, location, keystrokes, and even the send and received files.
2. While connected to the office network
Companies can effortlessly track your online activities if you are using your phone on your office network. Employers can install an internet filter program like Barracuda Web Security Gateway.
This gateway application helps to control access to websites, web applications, and web 2.0 platforms.
If you are using a number provided by the office, your employers can get your browsing history and can use them to increase productivity.
How Should You Use Your Personal Phone for Work?
Using a different phone is the best way to separate personal and office work. Though using two phones is not an excellent solution to this problem. I suggest you avoid using your personal phone for office work.
Android offers a work profile feature; when you are in the work profile mode, you can set up your office apps and accounts. You can return to your personal mode anytime by closing the work profile mode.
These two modes will help to keep your personal and work life separate. Your employer will only be able to access the work profile, and your personal data will be safe from anyone.
Apple also offers the same mode for iPhone users, known as mobile device management (MDM). In this mode, your phone will run your office apps in a virtual container, and your personal data will remain safe from your employer.
What Is The Law on Phone Monitoring?
There is no specific law on employee phone monitoring, though some federal and States law is so much relatable. Let’s see the relatable laws on phone monitoring.
1. Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986
This federal law prohibits any unauthorized interception of electronic communication, including phone, telephone, email, and computer use. While using office-provided devices, in some cases, employers can monitor your device activities.
2. Laws on Computer Hacking
Computer hacking laws discourage people from signing in to any other’s personal account using their ID and password. This law prevents unauthorized login to personal accounts without a properly written contract.
3. State Laws
All 50 states have laws to protect employees and other people from being monitored. Even when the federal laws allow for monitoring of employees’ personal conversations, some state laws can prevent the monitoring strictly.
California and Maryland have their own laws where both the users have the right to know that their conversation is being recorded. In California, while recording a phone call, a beep sound must continue as long as the recording is going on.
FAQs
Can my employer see what I do on my personal phone?
If you are using a company-provided phone, your employer may have the right to monitor your device. But while using your personal phone for office work, the law doesn’t allow the employer to monitor your activity.
How can I tell if my employer is monitoring my phone?
You can see if the employer monitors your phone by going to Settings > General > Profiles and Device Management. Google permits companies to manage, secure, and monitor activity, even when you are using your personal phone.
Can my employer read my text messages on my personal phone?
If you never use your personal phone for office work or connect the phone to the office network, your employer will not be able to read text messages. However, your employer can read text messages, social media conversations, and even listen to your phone calls if the phone is a property of the office.
The Bottom Line
If you are using a phone owned by the employer and connected to an office network, the employer can monitor the use of the device and the conversations or personal files.
On the other hand, while using your personal phone, the laws protect you from being monitored by your employer. Sometimes, your employer can monitor your phone when you use your phone on the office network or have a written agreement about monitoring.
However, using a work profile on an Android device or MDM on an iOS device can save you from being monitored. And can keep your personal life separate from office work.
