Viral photos of employees in toilet spark outrage

A screenshot of photos depicting men using the office toilet while on their smartphones has gone viral on social media in China, sparking anger over the company's invasion of its employees' privacy.

The pictures were sent in a company WeChat group by a so-called manager named Xie, who accused the three men of going to the toilet without permission to leave their posts.

The screenshot has angered many who accuse the company of a shocking lack of legal awareness and the absurd requirement of asking their employees to carry a permit to use the toilet.

The screenshot has been traced back to a company in south China's Guangzhou City, Jimu News reported.

Local police have investigated the company but did not find any cameras in the bathroom. Further investigation is still ongoing, and the culprit responsible for taking the photos could face punishment by detention from 5 to 10 days under China's Security Administration Punishment Act.

Installing cameras and spreading photos of employees using toilets within a WeChat group is a blatant disregard of their legal rights, said Fu Jian, director of Zejin Law Firm in Henan Province.

The employees can ask their company for apologies and compensation. If the photos are spread to the Internet and viewed by many, the person responsible for spreading them should take criminal responsibility, Fu added.