While cookies and other software algorithms might make you feel as though social media is reading your mind, our innermost thoughts and reactions have remained untouched by tech and safe from public consumption... until now.
That's because emotion-detection and facial-recognition software is on the rise and an increasing number of companies are already turning to this software to assess employee engagement, behavior and attitudes or even ascertain if someone is anxious or stressed.
And while you might think turning your camera off during video calls to ensure eye rolls go unnoticed is enough, AI is being used to measure microexpressions including flared nostrils (anger), scrunched eyebrows (intense concentration), rapid blinking (lying) and lip-biting (anxiety).
In fact, according to research conducted by Korn Ferry, the emotion-detection and facial-recognition software market is predicted to exceed $100 billion globally by 2030.
As part of its report, Korn Ferry spoke to a number of experts in the field who offered insights about how far companies are prepared to go and the ethical implications.
"There are fewer boundaries now between employer and employee than ever before," says author J.S. Nelson, who is also a visiting researcher on negotiation at Harvard Law School. "The question is, how much control can the company exert over the person?"
Big brother is watching
Lack of regulation in this emerging area means employers in the U.S. are largely free to test the boundaries and only a handful of states including Illinois, Massachusetts,Texas and Washington have laws surrounding the collection of biometric information.
But can employers rely on this kind of technology to credibly control how their staff behave while on the clock?
"AI can't tell if the emotion detected is forced or fake. You need a person for that," says Elke Oberg, marketing manager at facial-recognition software company Cognitec Systems.
However, some managers are also guilty of jumping to the wrong conclusions and lack the emotional intelligence needed to guide their workforce.
And post-pandemic, remote work has arguably fuelled the apparent boom in employers wanting to have the inside track-95% of executives recently admitted that they are more cognizant of contributions from workers when they are in the office.
Similarly, 78% of companies are now using software to track online activity and productivity, with 94% of these companies tracking emails and 59% tracking mouse movements.
And if you feel as if your current role isn't offering you the autonomy you need to be your most productive, it could be time to look for a new opportunity.
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