Employee suggestions for improving trust around mobile privacy
August 7, 2013 3:48 PM
Clear communication
According to MobileIron research, 26% said the most important thing their employers could do is to explain in detail the purpose of seeing certain information on the device, and how they separate the personal content from work content. This option was especially popular in Germany, with 34% choosing this answer.
Ask permission
Further, 20% would like their employers to ask their permission in writing before accessing anything on the device.
Detailed notification
Also, 18% would prefer written notification about what their employers can see and what they cannot.
What employers can see
Since employees want to know what information their employer can see from their mobile device, here are the facts. The employer can see:
- Carrier and country
- t Make, model, OS version
- t Device identifier (e.g. IMEI)
- Phone number
- Complete list of apps installed
- Location of device
- t Battery level
- Storage capacity and use
- Corporate email and attachments (via Exchange server same as PC)
- Corporate contacts (via Exchange server same as PC)
What the employer cannot see
Employers cannot see:
- Information in apps unless the app has been built to transmit information to a corporate server
- t Personal email and attachments
- t Texts
- t Photos
- Videos
- Web browsing activity
- t Voicemails
Promise privacy
Other employees surveyed (18%) want a promise in writing that their employers would only look at company information and not personal information.
Written permission
Finally, 15% want a written request from their employers asking for their permission before accessing anything on the device not relating to work content.
