The Shocking Reality of JP Morgan's Employee Surveillance

Summary

The video script exposes the dystopian reality of JPMorgan Chase's employee surveillance system, 'Wadu'. Using AI and machine learning, Wadu monitors employees' facial expressions, speech patterns, and stress levels, compiling this data for managers in real-time. The system even tracks productivity and morale, raising concerns over privacy and autonomy. The script also discusses the company's push for employees to return to the office to enhance Wadu's monitoring capabilities, and the potential repercussions for personal freedoms.

Takeaways

• 😲 JPMorgan Chase utilizes a workplace data surveillance system called 'WADU' (Workforce Analytics and Data Utilization).
• 👀 WADU monitors employee activities such as login times, application usage, facial expressions, speech patterns, body language, and stress levels.
• 🔍 The system uses AI and machine learning to analyze biometric data, updating employee profiles in real time and alerting managers about potential issues.
• 🚫 Business Insider reports that employees feel increasing paranoia due to the intrusive nature of surveillance, with some resorting to measures like mouse jiggler to evade monitoring.
• 🏢 The company's upper management is pushing for a return to the office to enhance WADU's ability to refine employee profiles and monitor activities.
• 🤖 WADU's capabilities extend to remote work scenarios, where it can access webcams and microphones through Citrix Workplace or issued Chromebooks.
• 🔒 The system can detect and flag unprofessional behavior, unsafe items, and even keyboard and mouse manipulations, alerting managers to potential productivity faking.
• 🔗 Clicking on job postings sent to personal emails can notify managers that an employee is seeking new opportunities, as WADU tracks such activities.
• 📱 The JPMorgan workplace app connects to WADU, potentially monitoring employee phone usage and behaviors, including desk reservations.
• 📜 JPMorgan's monitoring policy is broad, allowing for the collection and processing of extensive personal information, with limited legal restrictions in place.

Q & A

What does the acronym 'WADU' stand for?

WADU stands for 'Workforce analytics and data utilization', which is an AI monitoring system used by JPMorgan Chase.

What types of employee activities does WADU monitor?

WADU monitors a wide range of employee activities including login times, application usage, facial expressions, speech patterns, body language, stress levels, and even morale.

How does WADU use AI and machine learning in its monitoring?

WADU uses AI and machine learning to analyze employees' facial expressions, speech patterns, and body language throughout the workday to assess their productivity and stress levels.

What is the purpose of the HD cameras installed in JPMorgan Chase offices?

The HD cameras are used to monitor employees' non-verbal body language and other visual cues to feed into the WADU system for real-time updates on their activities.

How does WADU affect employees working remotely?

Even when working remotely, employees are monitored through the use of Citrix workplace, which allows WADU to access their web camera and microphone, and to detect keyboard and mouse activity.

What actions can managers take based on the data provided by WADU?

Managers have access to a dashboard that lists all metrics about their subordinates, and they can take actions such as alerting security or connecting to a session if WADU flags suspicious behavior.

How does WADU handle personal information obtained through monitoring?

WADU collects and processes personal information such as names, email addresses, home addresses, and account information. JPMorgan Chase states they take steps to process the minimum necessary personal information.

What is the role of the 'mouse jiggler' mentioned in the script?

A 'mouse jiggler' is a device or software used to fake productivity by simulating user activity. WADU is designed to detect such devices or patterns to prevent employees from evading monitoring.

How does WADU track employees' job search activities?

If employees click on job posting links sent to their personal email, WADU can notify their manager on their profile, indicating that they are actively looking for a new job.

What is the significance of the 'Workplace App' in relation to WADU?

The 'Workplace App' connects to WADU and is used for reserving desks at the office. It allows the system to further monitor and track employee activities and preferences.

What are the potential privacy concerns raised by the use of WADU?

The use of WADU raises significant privacy concerns as it monitors employees' activities both in and out of the office, potentially infringing on their personal privacy and freedom.

Outlines

00:00

😱 'Wadu': JPMorgan's Intrusive Employee Surveillance System

The paragraph discusses the pervasive surveillance system 'Wadu' implemented by JPMorgan Chase, a leading global bank. Wadu, an acronym for Workforce analytics and data utilization, uses AI and machine learning to monitor employees' facial expressions, speech patterns, body language, and stress levels in real-time. The system tracks login times, application usage, and even productivity and morale, alerting managers to any deviations from the norm. The script mentions that the system has caused fear among employees, with some resorting to measures like a 'mouse jiggler' to avoid detection. The intrusiveness of Wadu is highlighted by its ability to monitor employees both in and out of the office, raising concerns about privacy and the ethical implications of such surveillance.

05:01

🔍 The Extent of Wadu's Surveillance and Its Impact on Employee Privacy

This paragraph delves deeper into the extent of Wadu's surveillance capabilities, including monitoring employees' web camera and microphone usage, even when working from home. It discusses how the system can detect unprofessional or unsafe items in the background and how it can flag conversations critical of management. The paragraph also touches on the system's ability to detect attempts to fake productivity, such as keyboard and mouse jigglers. Furthermore, it mentions how Wadu can track job search activities outside of work, potentially impacting employees' job security. The paragraph concludes with a critique of JPMorgan's broad surveillance practices, which are justified under the guise of 'safety' and 'necessity,' but raise significant concerns about employee privacy and autonomy.

Keywords

💡Biometric Feeds

Biometric feeds refer to the data collected from an individual's biological and behavioral characteristics. In the context of the video, it is mentioned that the system 'watu' updates these feeds from facial and behavioral tracking, indicating that it monitors employees' physical expressions and actions to assess their emotional and work-related states. This is a central theme of the video, as it highlights the invasive nature of employee surveillance.

💡Stress

Stress is a common emotional and physiological response to demanding or threatening situations. The video script mentions that 'watu' can detect when an employee is having a bad day or is stressed, which is alarming as it suggests a level of personal intrusion into the employees' emotional well-being. This is used to illustrate the extent of the monitoring system's capabilities.

💡Workforce Analytics and Data Utilization (WADU)

WADU is the acronym for the employee AI monitoring system used by JPMorgan Chase, as described in the video. It stands for 'Workforce Analytics and Data Utilization', and it is designed to monitor various aspects of employee behavior and productivity. The video discusses how WADU's intrusive nature has caused fear among employees, making it a central concept in the narrative of corporate surveillance.

💡AI Monitoring

AI Monitoring refers to the use of artificial intelligence to track and analyze activities, often in the context of employee surveillance. The video details how WADU uses AI and machine learning to analyze employees' facial expressions, speech patterns, and body language, which is a key aspect of the dystopian workplace scenario presented.

💡Productivity Metrics

Productivity metrics are quantitative measures used to assess the efficiency and output of an employee's work. In the video, it is mentioned that WADU updates these metrics in real-time, allowing managers to monitor employee performance continuously. This concept is central to the video's theme of pervasive surveillance and its impact on employee autonomy.

💡Mouse Jiggler

A mouse jigger is a device or software used to simulate user activity on a computer to prevent screensavers or to evade monitoring systems. The video mentions an employee using a mouse jigger to evade WADU's surveillance, which serves as an example of the lengths employees may go to avoid being monitored.

💡HD AV Security Cameras

HD AV Security Cameras refer to high-definition audio-visual surveillance equipment. The video script notes that JPMorgan Chase offices are equipped with such cameras to monitor employees' non-verbal body language throughout the day, emphasizing the extent of the surveillance infrastructure in place.

💡Data Breaches

A data breach occurs when unauthorized individuals gain access to sensitive information. The video discusses how the sponsor, Aura, helps protect against data breaches by monitoring and alerting users about potential threats. This is relevant as it contrasts with the video's main theme of corporate surveillance by offering a solution for personal data protection.

💡Return to Office

Return to Office refers to the trend of companies encouraging or requiring employees to work from the office instead of remotely. The video suggests that JPMorgan Chase's push for a return to office is driven by the desire to refine WADU profiles and enhance surveillance capabilities, rather than productivity concerns.

💡Citrix Workplace

Citrix Workplace is a software platform that provides virtual desktops and applications. The video mentions that if employees have installed Citrix Workplace and granted access to their webcam and microphone, they have effectively connected these devices to WADU, illustrating how software can be integrated with surveillance systems.

💡Privacy

Privacy refers to the ability of an individual to keep personal information and activities confidential and free from outside observation. The video's discussion of WADU and employee surveillance raises significant privacy concerns, as it shows how the monitoring system can intrude on personal space and autonomy in the workplace.

Highlights

JPMorgan Chase has implemented an advanced employee surveillance system called WADU.

WADU stands for Workforce analytics and data utilization, an AI monitoring system.

Employees are reportedly living in fear due to the intrusive nature of WADU.

WADU monitors login times, application usage, and even biometric data like facial expressions and stress levels.

The system uses AI and machine learning to analyze employees' speech patterns and body language.

Managers have real-time access to a dashboard with detailed metrics about their subordinates' productivity and morale.

JPMorgan offices are equipped with HD AV security cameras for constant surveillance.

Business Insider reported on the growing paranoia among JPMorgan employees due to WADU.

WADU is used to track office attendance, calls, calendars, and more, contributing to a surveillance culture.

Some employees have resorted to using a mouse jiggler to evade the constant monitoring.

WADU is also active when employees work from home, monitoring through devices with web cameras and microphones.

The system can detect keyboard pokers, bumpers, and mouse jigglers, alerting managers to potential faked productivity.

Clicking on job postings sent to personal emails can notify managers that an employee is looking for a new job.

JPMorgan's investment in WADU is driving a push for employees to return to the office for more comprehensive monitoring.

The company's monitoring activities are conducted to the extent permitted by law, with a focus on employee safety and company interests.

WADU's monitoring capabilities include the potential to transfer employee information to other countries.

The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to protect their personal data and privacy, with a promotion for sponsor Aura.

Transcripts

the biometric feeds are updated from the

facial and behavioral tracking having a

bad day stressed about something watu

has already noticed this and alerted

your manager can't focus not working at

your usual Pace wadu has already noticed

this and alerted your manager it's

something you normally don't do it's

possible wadu flagged it as suspicious

and alerted your manager how's it going

everybody Josh here back with another

spicy corporate Expose and today we've

got something a bit more dystopian than

usual so you remember JPMorgan Chase and

Company one of the largest banking

institutions in the world well

apparently they've taken employee

surveillance to a whole new level

recently Business Insider reported that

JP Morgan employees are living in fear

due to the company's workplace data

surveillance system called wadu what is

wadu you might be wondering no it's not

a yoga position it's an overly intrusive

employee AI monitoring system and it

stands for Workforce analytics and data

utilization

so I came across this absolutely

chilling post on Reddit warning anyone

working at or considering working at

jpmc in the Reddit post they list

different things that wadu is monitoring

for here's the thing it was supposed to

buy an an account named some jpmc

manager which never provided any proof

of employment or being a manager or

anything and a few hours later while

this post was removed we do know that

jpmc actually has a page on their

website titled systems monitoring here's

that page now and if you come down to

monitoring activities you can see

everything they collect in everything

that they monitor and of course when you

read this page it's written with very

vague and subjective wording so that you

don't really know how or what they're

collecting we also know that just a few

days ago Business Insider wrote an

article titled JPMorgan employees

described growing paranoia as the

company tracks their office attendance

calls calendars and more with one worker

even installing a mouse Jiggler to evade

Big Brother here's another article from

Business Insider from about a year ago

inside the little known tool that gives

JPMorgan Chase the power to collect data

about everything its employees do at

work so from our standpoint we don't

really know if what they're saying in

the Reddit post is true all we can do is

cross-reference what they say with what

others have reported and after looking

at the systems monitoring page and these

other Business Insider posts a lot of it

lines up in classic Reddit fashion

because that that post was deleted and

people are upset now everyone is writing

comments but instead of a comment

they're just pasting in the original

post now according to this Reddit post

not only does wadu closely monitor

standard work activities such as login

times application usage it also uses Ai

and machine learning to analyze

employees facial expressions speech

patterns body language and stress levels

throughout the workday the system

allegedly tracks not only employees work

productivity but even things like their

morale all of this information is then

compiled and made accessible to managers

in real time starting at the moment you

arrive to the building while it was

tracking you using facial and speech

recognition most jpmc offices and

branches have been outfitted with some

of the best HD AV security cameras if we

come over to the Business Insider

article we can see that data begins

streaming into the wadu from the moment

employees log into their virtual

workspaces now I know we're all used to

the idea of our employers keeping some

level of tabs on us right I mean

clocking in clocking out maybe the

occasional login tracking when working

remotely but this wadu might even give

crossover for work a run for its money

you know the company that made a video

about how letting your boss take a

picture of you every 10 minutes is a

fine trade-off to work at home I'm

really glad that I was able to see past

my knee-jerk fear of being monitored in

my own home and there's never been a

single day that I've recorded my

decision to say yes wadu also uses the

array of HD cameras at the office to

monitor all of your non-verbal body

language all throughout the day the

collected information is then fed into

the system and it is used to update your

wadu profile in real time every manager

gets access to a dashboard that lists

all the metrics about their subordinate

the productivity metrics about an

employee start getting updated

immediately after an employee logs into

the system of course the whole time I'm

reading this I'm wondering who wrote

this how do they have this information

is it fake were they a software engineer

working on this Ai and they realize what

they were creating for themselves and

other employees and then they were like

nope who knows the biometric feeds are

updated from the facial and behavioral

tracking having a bad day stressed about

something wadu has already noticed this

and alerted your manager can't focus not

working at your usual Pace wadu has

already noticed this and alerted your

manager so according to this post you're

not just working for jpmc you're a

reality show star I mean imagine being

at your desk knowing there's an HD

camera recording your every move I for

one can't stay productive if I know

someone is over my shoulder or

monitoring me and miss me with all that

if you have nothing to hide you have

nothing to fear and I know a lot of the

people that watch this channel are also

on the same page they don't want to be

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the people who support what I do Reddit

article continues and says wadu is also

why they're pushing return to office so

hard upper management does not care if

some employees are more productive when

they're working from home they want

everyone back in the office as much as

possible so that their wadu profiles are

being refined enhancing their insight

into you is more important to them than

better productivity from working from

home upper management wants to see

everyone at all levels back in the

office five days a week they've invested

Millions into the wadu system and they

want to get a return on that investment

that only happens when people are in the

office it continues and says wadu is

also watching and listening whenever

you're working from home if you

installed Citrix workplace on your

computer and you permitted it to access

your web camera and microphone after you

log in you've connected those devices to

wadu if you're using an issued

Chromebook then those permissions have

already been conveniently accepted for

you you'll notice that your webcam will

flash right after login this is not an

initial connection flash your webcam

just took a burst shot of pictures and

sent them to wadu the pictures will be

scanned for anything deemed

unprofessional or unsafe for

paraphernalia TVs game consoles and

several other things are all flagged if

detected in the pictures if you see your

webcam flash randomly that was your

manager or someone in security

requesting a burst shot of pictures from

your web camera you'll also notice your

mic goes hot right after you log in

anything you say will be processed all

background noises will be processed say

something bad about your boss or other

Superior it's been flagged wadu is also

able to detect keyboard pokers bumpers

and mouse jigglers and movers it doesn't

matter if it's a completely external

solution wadu will be able to detect it

by analyzing the repetitive input

pattern your manager will be notified

that you're under suspicion of Faking

productivity they will then connect to

your session and see what is happening

live action will be taken if the

suspicion is confirmed this one was

really interesting you may have noticed

at some point that you started getting

job postings sent to your personal email

if you click on any of the links in the

job list emails your manager will get a

notification on your wadu profile that

you're actively looking for a new job

even if it was just browsing it can

negatively affect employees who click

the link if you install the jpmc

workplace app on your phone you've

connected your phone to the wadu and

right now the only way to reserve a desk

at the office is to use the workplace

app if you come over to jpmc's website

and look at the document on monitoring

they have this is the creepiest part of

all to the extent permitted by

applicable law and there's not a whole

lot of laws around this so jpmc may at

all times monitor access retrieve record

and review information obtained via

monitoring activities including any

content and any personal use of the

systems as reasonably necessary or

advisable in jpmc's interest for

purposes including

safety nonsense is what they say they

need to watch every move and every word

and all that stuff I guess they also say

monitoring activities may be conducted

by an automated mean sampling or manual

reviews while conducting monitoring

activities jpmc May obtain and process

personal information about you and

others including names email addresses

home addresses account information and

other personal information we take steps

to process the minimum personal

information necessary but what if the

minimum necessary is all of it because

that's decided by you right it's crazy

they just keep reiterating to the extent

permitted by applicable law they want to

take this thing as far as they can

apparently they can also transfer your

information to other countries jpmc May

transfer the information it obtains in

connection with monitoring activities to

countries other than the country in

which the information was originally

collected probably not very beneficial

when the employer starts treating the

employees like suspects in a crime scene

just for showing up to work click like

if you enjoyed the video and subscribe

to see me take on the corporate world

some more leave a comment let me know

what you think is the Reddit post

legitimate is it fake and lastly I'd

just like to say thanks again into

today's video sponsor Aura you should

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said all that I hope everyone's doing

well and I'll see you in the next one

[Music]