"No, I don't know how true it is. The problem is that finding out is inherently risky--it means endangering others, if it's right. However, the thought that it's a method of control has crossed most people's minds already. It's sort of like how some people don't talk on the network, because it's monitored. We're all aware that we're at a disadvantage here, that the company holds all the cards."

She glances up at the menu. "For me, playing a good loyal employee while on company property is a default defense mechanism, strong enough that there's others among the non-local staff who assume that's the reality of the situation."

She did the same at home--enough to create that default. Keep your head down, do your job, don't speak poorly of the boss anywhere that might be bugged. Because that's normal to need to do around tech CEOs, right?