Ask HN: What do you do if your boss wants to check your screen all the time?

Quit as soon as you can find a better job, and don't take your time either. I consider that an unacceptably low level of trust on the part of your boss, and if he wants to frame your employment relationship that way, he can find another employee.

Just quit and let him know.

Face the facts, my friend - you work for a micromanager who does not trust you. In this situation, you have two options. You can ask him why he feels the need to watch you for your entire shift. Or you can quit as fast as humanly possible.

If I were in your shoes, I would quit. Working for people like your boss is not only draining, but it will damage your career/kill your confidence.

Open up a word document and change the font size to 64px. Type the words "I QUIT".

The next time he fires up netcontrol2, he'll get the message.

thank you all actually I was thinking the same but I was a little doubtful if I'm right thanks again

I try to avoid working for paranoid gits.

Switch to Linux, use a tiling WM, download the first four seasons of IT Crowd. Watch them in a 1 inch floating screen while doing your job. Wait for the laugh from boss's office. Or is it only sound... yeah just quit and work somewhere awesomer.

It's not your screen, it's his screen which you are using for his purposes as an employee. The change clarifies the way you need to think about it - legal but an expression of low trust. At least you know he's doing it, right? It could have been completely secret.

Do you like the work/people? Would you mind being unemployed? Are you irreplacable? Skilled enough to get a job quickly? In a good area for jobs? Do you have to keep the job? Are you assertive? Have you any savings? has he picked up on anything he's seen yet? Is he otherwise a jerk? Is it targeted at you or for everyone?

Have you been timewasting too much? If not then you can bring up your good conduct, express regret that he doesn't trust you much, act like you feel it a slur on your professional character and that micromanaging makes it a more hostile workplace. Reassure him that your conduct will still be good and ask that he remove it.

If so, less wiggle room, maybe have a meeting to clear the air and offer him something else, another way to show improvement that he can verify like a voluntary daily report of tasks progressed or whatever you think of, in exchange for removing it.

Lots of people have to perform their job under constant scrutiny - shop assistants, screen and theatre actors, taxi and bus drivers, receptionists and front of house staff, etc. that suggests it is possible to work like that, so is it worth the trade off of staying?

It might be an indicator of a paranoid boss who won't be fun to work for, but then lots if people work for unpleasant people and survive.

Can you use it as a learning experience to raise your game to meet it as a challenge to meet and exceed his expectations? Is he likely to acknowledge that you are behaving fine and relax his policy? Does this extend to other things at work too?

Do nothing, or do something, but first think what you want to happen in your near future, and second what things you are willing to trade to get there.

Honestly,I would be offended. Good work is demonstrated by output. Having the feeling of someone looking over your shoulder is a statement of a lack of trust and confidence. I can't speak for you or your situation, but I would openly communicate this and try to find a solution that is mutually beneficial. Maybe your manager is concerned about the level of output, which can be measured in different less intrusive ways. Try to identify his motivation and find a solution that works for both parties.

Develop your own alternate english alphabet and change all system fonts to a custom font that has that alphabet, it is a brutal learning curve to be reading fluently again... but I did this in highschool... can freely open news articles and read them, he can't tell the difference