Key takeaways
- Be transparent about what you collect, why and for how long
- Document your lawful basis and run an impact assessment where required
- Collect the minimum: metadata only, no content
- Set retention windows and let data expire
- Rules differ by country: involve a lawyer before rollout
Start with transparency
Employees should be told, in plain language, what is monitored, the purpose, who can access it and how long it is kept. A clear policy is the foundation of any lawful programme.
Lawful basis and proportionality
In many jurisdictions consent from an employee is hard to treat as freely given, so employers often rely on legitimate interest and must show the monitoring is proportionate. Collecting activity metadata rather than content, and no screenshots or keystrokes, makes that case much easier.
Retention as risk control
The less data you keep, the less you can lose. Raw events default to 30 days, sessions to one year and reports to two years, and each organization can change those windows. A daily job deletes anything older.
Paperwork to prepare
Expect to need terms of service, a privacy policy and a data processing agreement. Local rules vary, so have a qualified lawyer review them. This article is general information, not legal advice.