Re: Big Brother
Further to this, logging and monitoring is not surveillance. It's definitely not bullying.
It's also not going to catch me watching videos, listening to a podcast, chatting with friends, taking a nap or looking for a better job. I don't use company computers for any of those (except the mandatory training videos).
If someone wants to use logging and monitoring to draw conclusions regarding my work ethic then they're ignorant and can be ignored. If they want to use those tools to assure compliance with the law and regulator expectations then they're protecting me, as I now have audit logs that I did not put the company at undue risk.
Tracking computer activity isn't surveillance, and isn't bullying. As you suggest it's attempting to measure productivity, and while that's fraught with data interpretation challenges things like call handle times, the number of systems used and the delay waiting for information can help identify the improvements that can make someone happier at work.
Is automated analysis of outbound email to prevent data loss surveillance? No, it's a necessary data protection measure. Is recording of telephone calls by the Treasury trading desk surveillance? I'm not sure, but the regulator demands it. Is using a work laptop's built in camera to watch someone in their own home surveillance? Barely; it's an illegal invasion of privacy.
There's a thought. Invite your 16 year old to shag their partner in front of your work laptop. They'll be doing it out of sight anyway, and this way if someone's recording, you can prosecute them for creating child pornography. That'll get it stopped.