Video is not an all-seeing, neutral observer. The most significant impact of bodycams, taxicams, and the like is not reliving the past but, rather, changing behavior in the present. We act differently when we know we’re on camera. The real upside of surveillance is the potential to spot and reward good work, not to deter bad conduct. A food-service study, for example, found that dining hall customers perceived greater employee effort and valued the service more when they could watch workers doing their jobs (through video-conferencing software on iPads). The effect was mutual: Employees felt more appreciated and, in turn, exerted greater effort when they had a clear view of … Continue reading Ethan Bernstein