For a contractor doing some creative work on the computer and using a timer for time-tracking on hourly contracts (Upwork-style), the whole 8-hour day of work typically amounts to roughly 7 hours tracked. If the timer is adjusted for keystrokes and mouse moves, it can go as low as 6 unless you are actively making it track the time. If that’s you, negotiate your way out of the arrangement or adjust your hourly rate accordingly.
For a customer, the time-tracking by a spyware that records keystrokes and takes screenshots provides a false sense of getting what they pay for. And that sense is false for various reasons. Starting with simple facts that neither clicking-typing nor staring at the screen equals doing any productive creative work. Spyware taking screenshots makes many people uncomfortable and anxious, and kills creativity.
This kind of arrangement benefits bad actors. Cheating these systems is easy, while engaging with the systems provides the bad actor with credible proof of work.
If you are a customer/manager, do not require your freelancers/employees to install this sort of spyware. Track results, evaluate results, and pay for the results instead.
