The UK Labour MP, Andrew Miller, addressed the conference on the background to the debate about teleworking and information superhighways as it had been experienced in the telcommunications industry and Parliament. He observed that the debate has already been running for ten years.
He mentioned particularly the major Network of the Future conference organized in 1989 by the telecommunications trade unions, along with BT, BICC, and others. The main purpose of this event, said Miller, was to discuss the asymmetry rules relating to the deregulation of the telecommunications industry in the UK, according to BT and its competitors had unequal rights and access to the telecommunications infrastructure. The papers presented to this conference showed an already considerable understanding and insight into the potential of the new technologies on the horizon.
Today, there remains an urgent need for imaginative and strategic development of policy, said Miller prior to listing some of the most important areas for investigation.
An Opportunity for the UK
The development of intelligent network-based systems in the finance sector is an area we should focus on, Miller said. Computer programmes that can, to a certain extent, learn from and mimic human decision-makers make it possible to track financial transactions with such precision and speed that bank fraud can be detected at an early stage. These systems have considerable potential in banking and finance institutions and are being experimented with within the stock exchange.
The establishment of such systems could bring enormous benefits to the UK, said Miller. If Britain was in a commanding lead in the development and application of such computer systems, it would offer significant competitive advantage. More and more transactions are being conducted electronically, and it doesn't really matter where the buyer and seller are located. What does matter is the security of the systems, and the country that offers buyers and sellers the greatest protection will cream off the most lucrative business.
There is a broader and powerful argument that points to a radical overhaul of consumer protection in all markets where on-line trading plays an important part, said Miller, up to and including plans for widespread teleshopping across the Internet, cable, and other networks. Intelligent systems have enormous potential for this field.
Employee Protection
In addition to considering consumer protection, Miller argued, we must also consider the needs of employees. The ILO report on Workers' Privacy: Monitoring and Surveillance in the Workplace (1) raises some important issues. Given that much employee monitoring is kept secret, it is hard to calculate the true extent of the problem. Nevertheless, it is reasonable to assume, Miller said, that in most cases where the technology is in place for work to be conducted remotely and transmitted, automatic monitoring of employee performance will be in place.
In the US, one reported study suggests that as many as 80% of employees in industries where computer systems are prevalent were subject to telephone or computer-based monitoring. More than 20% of companies questioned "engaged in searches of computer files, voicemail or other networked systems" and over 40% searched electronic mail. No parallel figures exist in the UK.
As a human rights issue this will be of increasing importance, particularly for home-workers, Miller said, where obstacles to self-organization are already considerable.
Thinking About the Issues
On a more positive note, there is increasing awareness that the issues around the information superhighway, the Internet, teleworking, etc. are becoming critically important as the technology begins to influence all aspects of industrial, economic education and social policy.
In Britain the Labour Party, recognising the importance of these technologies, has set up a policy forum with the task of identifying answers to some of the complex social and commercial issues arising from the development of superhighways. It is of urgent importance that those whose lives are affected by the information superhighway, whether as technicians, academics, employees or consumers, are given ample opportunity to contribute to the growing debate.
The labour movement must continue to be at the forefront of the application of these technologies, Miller concluded. We must combine our energies to ensure that both commercially and socially Britain exploits the Internet in a positive way.