Screenshot monitoring misuse: how to ruin your business & lose money

This article is prepared by WorkTime, a team of non-invasive monitoring experts with over 25 years of experience in the market.

Screenshots misuse case overview

One employer thought real-time screenshots would maximize productivity - but instead, they put the company at serious risk. Employees discovered their private messages, SINs, health information, and even upcoming terminations displayed on the office 50’’ TV. The result? The best employees are gone, loyalty is lost, and sensitive data is leaked. Still, it was not the worst part. The legal battles were just getting started.

What went wrong? Business ruined, money lost

The decision to display employees' desktop screenshots on a public TV screen created a massive breach of privacy. Employees used pictures of what was displayed on the screen in multiple lawsuits that cost this company over $100K in legal fees and settlements. This case shows that picking the wrong method can trigger a chain reaction, resulting in legal trouble, lost productivity, and, in the worst cases, bankruptcy.

Financial damages, in a total of $100K

Lawsuits resulting from privacy violations, legal fees, regulatory fines, and settlements can drain a company’s resources. As we can see from the Reddit post, the owner has already lost $100K in total after multiple lawsuits were over. Violating privacy laws like GDPR or HIPAA could trigger even harsher penalties, causing a financial nightmare. What about the indirect cost of screenshot surveillance? Beyond the obvious direct financial losses, the company’s reputation will suffer, causing a loss of client trust. Customers may prefer competitors with a stable reputation. This obviously leads to a significant decline in revenue potential. Furthermore, as we found out in the previous article, employees are likely to leave a toxic workplace, creating a costly talent gap.

Series of lawsuits

When invasive screenshot monitoring goes wrong, the company can expect a significant number of lawsuits. These legal challenges will involve employee claims of privacy violations, emotional distress, and possible discrimination if sensitive personal information is exposed or mishandled. As pointed out by the Reddit user, the screenshot slideshow exposed the employer’s SIN, confidential health information, and messages with racist remarks. Just imagine the outcomes - more lawsuits, massive fines, public outrage, and a shattered company reputation, all because of reckless monitoring practices.

Loss of business stability

Repeated lawsuits, legal fees, and regulatory penalties can drain company resources, making it increasingly difficult to stay afloat. A damaged reputation will also harm the business, discouraging potential clients and investors from further cooperation. Instead of growing the business, increasing productivity, and unlocking the company’s full potential, the employer will be forced to manage the chaos. In a long-term perspective, it can lead to bankruptcy.

How can this be easily prevented?

WorkTime would definitely be a game-changer in this case. For many reasons, a green employee monitoring approach is a perfect alternative to invasive screen recording. What are the benefits of non-invasive monitoring? 1. It is safe. WorkTime excludes intrusive features like screenshots or keystroke recording. It does not capture confidential information like passwords, payment or web banking details, health information, and personal chat content. 2. It prevents legal risks. WorkTime analyzes only productivity-related information and provides useful statistics instead of recording tons of screens that are hard to interpret. 3. It helps grow your business. Green monitoring focuses on performance insights and maintains a balance between productivity and privacy, unlike screen recording, which can damage a company's reputation and lead to long-term negative consequences.