Thailand Investigations Blog
Do You Want to Know the Truth?

When we talk of monitoring, it follows that we talk of the pros and cons of the issue. Monitoring has always been a controversial subject, and there is really no clear winner between those that say that it is more of a breach of trust and ethics, and those that consider it necessary in certain situations.

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On the one hand, we have people who say that installing monitoring software is a breach of ethics and trust, that these kinds of measures are invasive, and constitute an invasion of privacy. They argue that there are other ways to prevent theft or misuse of company resources, for example, by installing blocking software that restricts the internet use, as well as firewalls and other safety measures to trigger alarms (virtual or otherwise) when hacking or any illegal activity takes place. This they say, is better than directly monitoring people, and will allow honest workers and individuals to enjoy the privacy they deserve. Some correspondence or transaction, they argue, may not be agreeable to others but still do not warrant other people being given the power to know about them.

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On a greyer note, there is also some debate as whether it is ethical to not let employees or certain individuals – like children – know that they are being monitored.

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On the other side of the fence lie the people who believe that the benefits of monitoring outweigh the cons of undertaking such an action. They believe that monitoring is the best way to ensure that business is being done properly and resources are being used in a professional way. They also believe that children and teens especially need to be monitored, as they are still very impressionable, and exposure to the internet can also be, while enjoyable, a traumatic experience for them as well. There have been well-publicized incidents where teens and children even, committed suicide because of the internet. Monitoring is straightforward and direct, and can be used to combat whatever wrong is going on – directly, as the misdeed or incident is immediately brought to one’s attention. And with girlfriends, boyfriends or spouses, it is also acceptable, since there is always the risk of betrayal, and it’s best to know early. Anyway, they reason, if there’s nothing to hide, then there’s nothing to be afraid of.

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In the end though, it really depends on the weight of the pros and cons with regard to a certain situation. You can’t really speak generally about it, especially in this business, as some clients accept is as need the same way some do not. Cases and circumstances are always varied and relative, so it would be unfair to pass judgement on someone who chooses to have phone and computer monitoring installed. We do not decide for the client – we simply offer these services to all who might need them. And really, there have been times when these measures have proven to be effective aids for us in an ongoing investigation. Sometimes the results are favourable, and sometimes, not so much. But that’s the way with everything else, right? Weigh the pros and cons and decide whether monitoring is the thing for you.