The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) has initiated legal action against Mindseye developer Build a Rocket Boy over alleged data privacy violations.
Earlier this year, GamesIndustry.biz reported that staff discovered BARB management had installed Teramind surveillance software on their PCs without informing them.
The IWGB alleged that this software “violates both data protection laws and the workforce’s basic dignity, exceeding the legitimate remit of monitoring workers’ productivity or safeguarding the company’s security by recording individuals in their homes without their consent.”
BARB acknowledged installing the software after employees noticed slower hardware performance and asked staff to sign an updated IT policy.
In an all-hands meeting seen by GamesIndustry.biz, CEO Mark Gerhard said Teramind was “enhanced cybersecurity software” and that it would be removed “within three months.” The software was added following comments from studio founder Leslie Benzies about “saboteurs” inside the company.
According to IWGB, the software was removed in March after more than 40 employees filed a collective grievance. The developer reportedly declined to explain how or why data was collected or why the software was installed. The union states the software can track keystrokes, record screen activity, and capture audio from microphones.
The IWGB is escalating the issue through the UK’s Advisory, Conciliation, and Arbitration Service (ACAS) and the Information Commissioner’s Office.
GamesIndustry.biz has contacted BARB for additional comment and clarification.
“Build A Rocket Boy’s toxic culture of secrecy and micromanaging is one of the worst I’ve seen in a 20-year career in the gaming industry,” said IWGB member and lead cinematic animator Chris Wilson.
“While they have conceded to our headline demand of removing Teramind from our devices, many questions still remain about their actions. It can only be assumed that this software was added as a part of their effort to micromanage us, a product of their mistrust of their employees. It created an atmosphere of unease, something that doesn’t lead to great video game production.”
IWGB Game Workers Branch chair Spring McParlin-Jones added: “We’ve all watched the spectacle of the bonfire that is BARB but there is a human cost behind the drama and financial mismanagement that often goes untold.”
“Having borne the brunt of Mark and Leslie’s paranoia, these workers stood up for each other and stood up to bullies in management, forcing them to be accountable for their actions and get rid of Teramind. Now, BARB must meet our demands for data transparency. Their alleged actions are a violation of their employees’ rights to privacy.”
Last October, the IWGB began legal action over the alleged mishandling of redundancies at BARB in June, which affected around 300 employees. “If successful, the legal claim, which includes allegations of unlawful blacklisting, detriment, and failure to engage in collective consultations, could cost BARB millions,” it said.
Further layoffs were announced in March this year amid further claims of “organised espionage and corporate sabotage” from CEO Mark Gerhard.
“As leaders we take responsibility for the outcomes of our projects and the decisions that follow,” he said. “At the same time, the launch period was affected by factors beyond normal operational challenges and a competitive environment.”
