THE NICE THING about the information revolution is that information can run both ways.
For several years, there have been increasing reports of employer snoopiness — reading e-mail, using radio badges to track employees and so forth. Now we have the Hewlett-Packard scandal, with the former chairwoman and the former ethics officer facing criminal charges for going too far in trying to stop leaks from the boardroom.
The two former executives and three detectives they hired are accused of fraudulently getting confidential information from a public utility, unauthorized access to computer data and identity theft.
Employers may step over the line in trying to control their employees, but now employees have a way to get some of their own back.
This week, USA Today reported that Jobster.com, a national job-search Web site, has added a new feature. Jobster now allows employees and former employees to post information about employers. That information is available to job-seekers who visit the site.
Other Internet job and professional networking sites offer similar information.
Employers may think twice about prying too deeply into their employees’ lives if they know that, out on the Internet, somebody may be building a dossier on them.