Starbucks requiring full remote access to employee phones

[QcChopper]

It was not a big secret that Starbucks is as evil as they come, just look into it. I have never EVER gave them a penny and never will, but this generation's hipsters and soyboys love their stupendously overpriced lattes.

 

[Fedorable]

would be funnier without the sentence at the end.

 

[hillelslovak87]

He was

 

[hillelslovak87]

would be funnier without the sentence at the end.

Holy shit. Batista started wrestling when I was a freshman in highschool, and I had a guy sitting next to me that I was cool with, and he would talk call him Barista. I remember calling him Barista was way too funny to me, especially since Batista was playing a church deacon, I believe.

 

[Infernal Plane]

 

[Seano]

Now this is the shit we should be outraged at.

How do you have a yellow card after being here for 4 days?

 

[luckyshot]

Every single working man and woman should be in a UNION.

This shit is nutters.

 

[oldshadow]

Fuck Starbucks and any company that thinks they can do this with my private phone.

I worked in a secure government area and they didn’t demand that. They could and would ban cell phones. I have no problem with a company doing that but they can fuck themselfs over this.

 

[spin]

Nothing about this comes up in searches.

A YouTube video isn't legitimate news

 

[Ruprecht]

Nothing about this comes up in searches.

A YouTube video isn't legitimate news

I did find some reddit discussion from Starbucks workers of the Teamworks app and it's admin permission requirements, but they didn't seem to indicate that they were required to install it. There was also apparently a web page/store PC that can be used for the same scheduling information and time off requests.

 

[spin]

I did find some reddit discussion from Starbucks workers of the Teamworks app and it's admin permission requirements, but they didn't seem to indicate that they were required to install it. There was also apparently a web page that can be used for the same scheduling information and time off requests.

yeah, the reddit was the only other place i saw it mentioned.

its not really something they can legally do without publicly disclosing, if they can even legally do it at all, so there shouldn't be any obstacles in obtaining proof and alerting the press.

 

[nhbbear]

I would guess that employers have the right to prevent you from bringing a cell phone into the work place, but under no circumstances can they force you download an app. That is ridiculous. And Kyle is wrong, this is not a fourth amendment freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures because it is not the govenment

 

[panamaican]

Nobody seemed to care when it was conservatives being censored on google, facebook, twitter, youtube and all the lefties replied with "They're private companies, build your own internet if you don't like it".

The 2 things aren't analogous though. Posts on social media result from people voluntarily using a corporate platform to publish their messages. All of the engagement is taking placing on the corporation's assets. The corporation is not making use of poster's personal property.

It's the difference between a corporation enforcing shirts and shoes in their store and the corporation requiring shirts and shoes at your home.

And as I understand it, this isn't a required scheduling app. Employees can still use the normal online options. So, no one is required to use it as a condition of employment.

 

[panamaican]

I would guess that employers have the right to prevent you from bringing a cell phone into the work place, but under no circumstances can they force you download an app. That is ridiculous. And Kyle is wrong, this is not a fourth amendment freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures because it is not the govenment

From what I've read, you're not required to download it. They still have their normal scheduling system. However, if you download the app, it plugs you into the Starbucks servers, essentially connecting you with all of the other Starbucks employees who have downloaded the app. I'd guess they want more control in those situations because if you lose your phone, you're now exposing their servers and the other employees to potential attacks through the app.

 

[Teppodama]

From what I've read, you're not required to download it. They still have their normal scheduling system. However, if you download the app, it plugs you into the Starbucks servers, essentially connecting you with all of the other Starbucks employees who have downloaded the app. I'd guess they want more control in those situations because if you lose your phone, you're now exposing their servers and the other employees to potential attacks through the app.

My job pretty much does the same with their app for work email, etc. Main reason I simply don't accept work emails to my phone. If someone needs me, they can call our main desk and have them contact me or they already have my cell number because they are the manager/director of their particular area.

 

[Ruprecht]

From what I've read, you're not required to download it. They still have their normal scheduling system. However, if you download the app, it plugs you into the Starbucks servers, essentially connecting you with all of the other Starbucks employees who have downloaded the app. I'd guess they want more control in those situations because if you lose your phone, you're now exposing their servers and the other employees to potential attacks through the app.

One of the employee posts I read says it's related to the VPN software they use, which requires administrator access.
That's not unusual with VPN software, although there's certainly ways around it which I would think are a better fit for a BYOD scheduling system (ie web based vpn).

 

[Renard]

I'm kind of concerned this is going to be all employers in 20 years. The average person is so nonchalant about their privacy, they allow corporations to encroach more and more on our privacy and they don't care. Even if we care, you can't fight if 99% of people don't care and keep using the services without complaint.

 

[Cyrano200]

Maybe the IT department where I work is especially incompetent (undeniable), but this seems like an attempt by the company to make an app that made scheduling easier and convenient for everyone but the final product had some unforeseen & unintended weaknesses. I firmly believe well intentioned semi-competent people are responsible for 99% of the circumstances that get reported as examples of evil, devious, conspiracies on the internet in general and by that type of show in particular.

 

[Long Dark Blues]

Fuck that. But...

What's to stop someone from deleting the remote access app?

Or just turning their phone off or pulling the battery while they are at work? Which, I guess, Starbucks would prefer rather than their employees be on their phone all day.

Or allowing this on a burner phone and then bringing in their actual real phone?

 

[Cyrano200]

That doesn't mean it should be allowed. But I believe (hope?) they will work to close that loop-hole.
That host's first words struck me as histrionic and untrue; that the vast majority of managers will abuse it. The vast majority don't know how to take advantage of it, it's that one creepy dude that does that will do all the harm. I envision "personal" pics from baristas released unwittingly on some low budget website.