Companies spy on brainwaves of employees in China

A report from the South China Morning Post (SCMP) indicates that Chinese authorities are taking a step further when it comes to mass surveillance: brainwave tracking. This is done through an 'emotional surveillance' system that allows bosses to track their employees' brain waves to check for signs of stress or distress.

It is worth noting that this system is the result of a project supported by the Chinese government, Futurism notes. China is also known for propagating one of the most robust and technologically advanced mass surveillance systems in the world - and you can find out more by clicking here.

SCMP notes that the technology is "being deployed on an unprecedented scale in China"

Futurism details the system's operation as follows: sensors attached to workers' caps or helmets transmit brainwaves to a computer, something similar to the electroencephalogram. In this way, artificial intelligence algorithms scour the incoming information to find patterns and data that indicate feelings like anger and feelings like anxiety.

The report also comments on companies that use the system in different ways: some of them only capture information while working, while others track this data in real time via virtual reality headsets during specific exercises.

There is no information on how many workers are submitted to the system. However, SCMP notes that the technology is "being deployed on an unprecedented scale in China." Also, companies like Hangzhou Zhongheng Electric, Zhejiang Electric Power and army agencies and transportation companies already use this system in their employees.

The reason behind monitoring

What would be the reason for tracking the brain waves of workers in real time? According to SCMP, the system allows companies to see opportunities to improve employee morale before an emotional problem occurs.

"When the system issues a warning, the manager asks the employee to take a day off or move to a less critical post, " said Jin Jia, a professor at Ningbo University who houses one of the project's main research centers. "Some jobs require high concentration. There is no room for error."

What is not clear is whether companies store employee data and what else can be obtained from sensors

Companies are celebrating the surveillance system. According to the SCMP, one of them has had a $ 315 million increase in revenue since 2014, while another has had a $ 22 million increase over the last two years - remember that SCMP is a Chinese newspaper, published from China in English language

Only China? Calm down there

It's not just China that propagates mass surveillance: As Futurism notes, 80 percent of America's top companies track employee e-mail, Internet and telephone usage.

• So follow the story: How far are we being spied on?

Companies spy on brainwaves of employees in China via TecMundo