(CNBC) Employers are monitoring productivity more than ever, in part thanks to the boom in remote work.
Employees are turning to gadgets to outsmart monitoring software. One such tool is a mouse mover, or mouse jiggler, that’s supposed to keep your screen on. I decided to give one a try to see if it works.
I learned about mouse jigglers on TikTok. A mouse mover is a device that claims to be undetectable by your computer. As the name indicates, the device simulates mouse movement, preventing your computer from going into sleep mode.
So-called “tattleware,” or surveillance software, is being installed on company-issued devices to track employee screen time, keyboard usage, and clicks. The mouse jiggler may not help with keyboard usage or clicks, but it should address screen time monitoring by keeping your computer’s display on.
Here’s how a mouse jiggler works.
How to use a mouse jiggler to keep your computer from going to sleep
Vaydeer mouse mover.
Sofia Pitt
I ordered a $30 Vaydeer Mouse Jiggler off Amazon and tested it out for a day.
It took less than a minute to set up. You simply plug the power cord into the USB port on your computer, or attach it to the power brick and plug it into the wall. Use the wall for power if you’re paranoid. You probably don’t want to plug any type of device that helps you avoid work directly into a work-owned computer, especially since USB ports open up a whole host of security concerns, too.
There’s an orange power button on the left side that you can press to turn it on and off. A turntable moves when it’s on. That’s where you place the mouse’s sensor. Once your mouse is in the right position, you’ll begin to see the cursor on your screen move very slowly, keeping your monitor from going to sleep.
