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To use or not to use

The ban on the use of camera phones in IT offices is drawing flak from tech savvy Generationext pros. SYEDA FARIDA reports

SO FAR AWAY The IT workforce questions the ban of camera phones on office floors

Every morning before he logs in, Hemant, associate consultant with a leading IT firm in the twin cities has an important ritual he and other tech savvy pros partake in as they swipe their cards. They hand over their camera phones at the security. Meanwhile, in the BPO close by, even basic CDMA mobiles are not allowed in workspace. And the reaction is a bura lagta hai. "I had a planner on my Nokia 6600 that would give me a reminder before any meeting. Also all my contacts, family and friends, are fed on the cell. There is a land line on the floor but I wouldn't be comfortable taking a personal call with four people around me," says Hemant. "Am I upset with the ban? Yes. It's my choice, the handset I buy. And what guarantee is that my high-priced mobile is safe with the security desk," asks Keerti, an associate consultant, echoing the resentment prevailing in her peer group.

"It hurts. One has to understand that life in a BPO environment is different from the world outside. You are cut off from your social network. We probably would use a camera phone for clicking pictures of the team celebrations," says Soumya, a process associate in a leading BPO.

After CCTVs, X Ray scanners and e-mail monitoring, the latest protocol as regards electronic security is the ban of camera mobile phones. Offices where such bans are often implemented are those that deal with financial securities, pay roll processing and banking.

"Identity theft has taken major proportions in the US. You have Social Security number and other personal details. If the information is leaked out, anyone can impersonate and indulge in financial misdealing. Recently an associate in a call centre in New Delhi walked away with a CD full of data to pass it on to a British tabloid," says Anant Kalyan, assistant manager client service, Automatic Data Processing Inc (ADP). So steps imperative to fulfil the norms for certifications such as BSO 7799, British Standards Organisation (International Organisation for Standardisation)--code of practise for information security management that ADP has been conferred upon recently.

All about ethics

Disagree the generationext, "Do you think I can remember the data. It's about ethics. Its better to build the bonding than put restrictions," says Ravi, a software engineer. Agrees Lekha Sishta, director - performance development, Sum Total Systems, "we have been able to inculcate a sense of independence coupled with required maturity levels to handle sensitive data. There are no restrictions on the usage of hi-tech cell phones with cameras or other advanced capabilities. The company is very careful during the recruitment stage and stresses on the right attitude and integrity as definitive requirements in a prospective employee. The need for maintaining sanctity around sensitive data is reiterated on a regular basis. The MIS team constantly reviews data access and storage to minimise chances of any misuse occurring," she adds.

Most of high-end handsets today are equipped with camera phone, streaming video and other features. Ban on their usage among the key buyer group then can probably make a dent on the sales curve. In a scenario when Indian BPOs are pitching in a cloud of resent in the US and find such security protocols valid, sensitisation on the contrary is what the employees ask for.

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