WADU Workplace Surveillance Warning

WADU is also watching and listening whenever you are working from home. If you installed Citrix Workplace on your own computer, and you permitted Citrix to access your web camera and microphone after login, you have connected those devices to WADU. If you are using an issued Chromebook, those permissions are already conveniently accepted for you. 4 You’ll notice that your web camera will flash right after login. This is not an “initial connection” flash. Your web camera just took a burst shot of pictures and sent them to WADU. The pictures will be scanned for anything deemed unprofessional or unsafe. Recreational drug paraphernalia, TVs, game consoles, and several other things are all flagged if detected in the pictures. If you see your web camera flash randomly, that was your manager or someone in security requesting a burst shot of pictures from your web camera. You’ll also notice that your microphone will go hot shortly after login. Anything you say will be processed by WADU. All background noises will be processed by WADU. Say something bad about your boss or other superior? WADU flagged it. Say something bad about another co-worker? WADU flagged it. Have a moment of anger or frustration? WADU flagged it. These are just some examples, WADU is trained to detect a wide variety of keywords, phrases, and sound events. Your manager can also connect and listen to your audio feed live.

The image is a dark screenshot of a supposed workplace-surveillance notice describing WADU, which allegedly monitors employees’ webcams and microphones while they work from home. It humorously escalates ordinary remote-work permissions into invasive monitoring, flagging photos, background sounds, criticism of management, and emotional reactions. People send it as an absurd reaction to corporate surveillance, distrust of employers, or increasingly authoritarian workplace technology.

• @gentoomemes / 4599 2023-05-17