Here secrecy is a part of day-to-day life. Security checks happen every now and then. You will be asked to stay back at your desk, lock your computer, hand over the mobile to the authorities. If you recieve or need to make a call during the security check you need to ask their permission and your call will be monitored.
If your phone data could be backed up, it would be backed up for later analysis. All your recent activities on the phone would be checked very thoroughly. No matter, if it was with your doctor or lawyer or your spouse.
Well, you could refuse to oblige, after all it happens in a free country which fights for the freedom of other nations. But, you will be asked to leave the company right away and never bother to come back.
Can you sue them? of course not, as it all happens after signing up the NDA and all necessary legal documents.
Mind you the workers are not unskilled uneducated workers. They are the best in the business. Sometimes they work on products even without knowing on what they are working and why they are working. You literally have to cross seven oceans and seven hills before you can work on the actual product prototype. Secrecy is just their second skin.
This company is no sweat shop, but one of the most coolest, most innovative, most popular with cult like customer loyalty. Their products restore a child like sense of wonder to our lives.
And all the above mentioned secrecy and security check is just another day in business leading to "there is one more thing" showmanship of their CEO during the product launch which more likely happens with prior strategic secret leaks leading to million dollar worth of free publicity in rumor mills.
Alas, recently one of the prototype found its way to the internet in all naked glory. All because of a german beer and a birthday bash.
But the point in question is will you be willing to work for this company with your privacy as the price? I WILL!
P.S
Based on this and this
Update:
The California police seized the computers and servers of Jason chen, the editor of Gizmodo.com.
Gizmodo got hold of the next iPhone to be released and published the pictures with a tear down analysis. Apparently it was left by an Apple employee in a bar on his birthday bash after having some german beer. Apple legal wrote a letter to Gizmodo, how they could get back their property. Gizmodo replied with jason chen's address and Apple gatecrashed his house when he was not there, of course with a warrant.
6 comments:
Now, that would be dichotomy. :)
Would you accept this if your current company or your client did it? You may cry hoarse that you are being discriminated. Remember you also have signed NDAs when you were offered your company position or when you starting working for the client. The industry in India has not seen severe leaks till now except for a few high profile ones fought. The only difference is that the rigor is much much more in Apple to avoid leaks ahead of time (there are already iPad clones appearing in China, it seems)
Anyway, my best wishes to you for your wish to come true. They came to India, setup shop and went back saying it was not a rosy story for them. :-(
If the client is Apple, then I will accept ;)They too have taken outsourcing route!
It is a news if they dont have clones in china!
One of the issues is that Gizmodo paid $5k to get full access to the phone. Now that comes up as stolen property. I feel that Apple leaked this deliberately and milking all attention to test the waters. I don't think that they with all their secrecy hullaballoo, the phone would be sent out with a junior employee which then is lost!
I remember reading that may not count as stolen!!! Not sure though
Yup that is always a possibility! At the same time, if that was deliberate, it all seems too far fetched like movies too ;)
You would work under such terms ?? Why ?? I can understand a rule that says you can't bring a mobile phone into the office; but I cannot accept a rule that says a company has the right to check your mobile phones and cover even personal calls. It all sounds very harmless, but believe me, you have to live in a country where this is practiced as a routine to understand what it really means. There is no such thing as a benign intrusion into private affairs. History has shown that sooner or later, it will be misused. That's why privacy is such a desirable right to fight for.
I might, if it is apple. My love towards apple is much more higher than anything. It is more like this, living with xanthippe who looks like cleopatra :)
I completely agree with what ever you say and hearing it from someone who has experienced it first hand makes a lots of sense.
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