Smart home devices used to monitor domestic workers raise safety concerns

New research from King's College London reveals how surveillance technologies reinforce a sense of constant monitoring and control by domestic workers' employers, increasing their vulnerability and impacting their mental wellbeing.

Smart home technologies are on the rise around the world, and especially in China, which has seen a rapid increase in the use of devices such as smart cameras in the home, for security reasons or to check in on elderly relatives, and baby monitors for overseeing children and childcare providers.

These devices threaten the privacy of employees such as cleaners, nannies or carers, argue the researchers.

Based on in-depth interviews with 26 domestic workers and five recruitment agencies for domestic workers in China, this first-of-its-kind study points out some concerning practices by employers in the use of these devices to monitor the performance of their workers within the context of multi-user smart homes. It also highlights how the constant feeling of being watched impacts the workers themselves.

Lead author Dr Ruba Abu-Salma, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at King's College London, said: "This complete lack of freedom and right to self-determination felt by many of the participants of the study amounts in our view to mental abuse. The constant monitoring undermines trust and affects workplace interactions.

"The devices also exacerbate already dire power imbalances between workers and their employers, undermining their rights and increasing their vulnerability."

During the research interviews, workers commented on the feeling of their movements constantly being monitored as they move around the house, and the unease they feel knowing the camera is always looking at them.

Some revealed they were not made aware of cameras in the home, with one person even discovering a device hidden in a bookshelf, while another worker said they had to deal with a smart robot installed with a camera that followed them around the room.

For live-in domestic workers, smart devices could be even more invasive, with cameras installed in every room, including intimate spaces like their bedroom, making them feel uneasy about undressing and relaxing in their own space.

And while many of the participants recognised the need for safety, especially when caring for babies, the absence of clear communication from employers about the purpose of monitoring sparked distrust and discomfort.

The research was conducted by Dr Ruba Abu-Salma, Professor Jose Such, and PhD researcher Shijing He from the Department of Informatics at King's College London, alongside researchers from the University of St Andrews and the China Academy of Art, Hangzhou.

Shijing He said: "Smart home technologies are getting smarter all the time -- including through the use of AI. Devices can rotate and track movements around the room, meaning there is nowhere to hide. AI functions can make inferences about what is going on in the room and alert the employer where perceived risks are posed."

Professor Jose Such, Professor of Computer Science at King's College London, said: "It is unclear the extent to which employers are breaching the law on privacy in China. Whilst China has a law similar to GDPR, the data protection legislation protecting UK and EU citizens, China's Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) prioritises national security rather than individual rights, and legal loopholes mean it doesn't necessarily cover the practices of employers in their own homes."

While the study only focused on China, the researchers believe this issue is more widespread and could also be affecting migrant domestic workers around the world.

The researchers have provided recommendations to domestic worker agencies and policymakers in China to address the privacy and security challenges facing migrant domestic workers in 'smart homes'.

Dr Ruba Abu-Salma added: "We found that the lack of legal protections and the unclear regulatory landscape in China exacerbated the vulnerable position of domestic workers. The absence of regulations and defined laws governing the domestic service industry highlights the urgent need for updates to privacy laws and regulations to better protect workers' rights."

Other recommendations include agencies integrating privacy education into training programmes for workers to understand their rights, as well as establishing transparent communication and contractual agreements regarding surveillance practices.