# Human Technology Institute calls for stronger workplace privacy laws in Australia

Digest AI · Policy & Regulation · published 2026-10-19T14:00:03Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/human-technology-institute-calls-for-stronger-workplace-privacy-laws-i

## Summary

The University of Technology Sydney’s Human Technology Institute warned that AI‑enabled monitoring tools are spreading across Australian workplaces, from fast‑food kitchens to retail checkout lines. Examples include CCTV that blocks phone use, keystroke logging, and an AI system that flagged a supermarket cashier for an error rate of 0.18% – roughly one mistake per 533 items scanned. A March 2026 Minderoo poll found 43% of Australians know some employers use AI to watch staff, but only 9% say it happens at their own job.

The institute’s report, released on Tuesday, urges the federal government to embed privacy safeguards in the Fair Work Act and give the minister power to ban surveillance products that pose an “unacceptable risk”. It cites Microsoft Teams’ location‑auto‑update feature and concerns about smart‑glasses that could covertly record workers. The submission to the joint parliamentary AI inquiry was backed by unions such as the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association, and will be discussed alongside testimony from the eSafety commissioner, CSIRO, ASIC, the Australian Medical Association and Atlassian.

## Key points

- AI monitoring flagged a cashier for a 0.18% error rate, about one error per 533 scans.
- 43% of Australians aware of employer AI monitoring, only 9% aware of it in their own workplace.
- Human Technology Institute urges Fair Work Act overhaul and power to ban risky surveillance products.

## Why it matters

AI‑driven workplace surveillance threatens employee privacy and rights, prompting potential regulatory reforms that will affect employers and AI tool providers.

## Sources

1. [Calls to strengthen workplace privacy in Australia as employers turn to AI to track staff](https://theguardian.com/technology/2026/oct/20/workplace-privacy-concerns-employers-use-ai-to-monitor-staff) (The Guardian AI, 2026-10-19)

## Cite

Digest AI, "Human Technology Institute calls for stronger workplace privacy laws in Australia", 19 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/human-technology-institute-calls-for-stronger-workplace-privacy-laws-i

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