Are Schools Violating Privacy with Student Laptop Webcams?

[lisab]

A Philadelphia school district issued laptops to each of its high school students; pretty cool idea...

"It is no accident that we arrived ahead of the curve; in Lower Merion, our responsibility is to lead," Superintendent Christopher W. McGinley wrote on the district Web site.

Students later found out that school officials could (and apparently did) turn on the web cams remotely, and watch them at school and at home. They did this without notifying the students or families! Now the school district is being sued.

Plaintiffs Michael and Holly Robbins suspect the cameras captured students and family members as they undressed and in other embarrassing situations, according to the suit.

Unbelievable ..someone has some 'splainin' to do!


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35461838/ns/technology_and_science-security/"

 

[Dembadon]

...Students later found out that school officials could (and apparently did) turn on the web cams remotely, and watch them at school and at home. They did this without notifying the students or families! Now the school district is being sued. ...

There was a Frontline episode that was on a couple weeks ago which had something very similar. It showed a staff member of a school accessing various students' on-board laptop cameras to see what they were up to. He even admitted to occasionally altering things on their computer from his workstation while they were using it, and did so during the interview.

This was all done under the banner of making sure the students weren't goofing off.

Edit: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/digitalnation/view/" is the episode I watched.

 

[humanino]

Unbelievable

Yes, it's hard to swallow. If it's true, it's quite disgusting.

 

[Proton Soup]

i'm sure it was all in the fine print

 

[LudusRex]

I am deeply concerned by the actions of the Philadelphia school district in issuing laptops to high school students without proper notification or consent regarding the remote activation of webcams. This is a clear violation of privacy and trust, and it is unacceptable that students and their families were not made aware of this capability.

Not only is this a breach of privacy, but it also raises ethical concerns about the use of technology in educational settings. It is important for schools to prioritize the safety and well-being of their students, and this incident calls into question the district's commitment to that responsibility.

It is essential that schools and other institutions handling sensitive personal information take appropriate measures to protect the privacy of individuals. This includes clear communication and consent regarding the use of technology and any potential surveillance methods.

I hope that this incident serves as a reminder to all organizations to prioritize ethical and responsible use of technology, and to ensure that privacy is respected at all times. It is crucial for us to continue to have discussions and implement safeguards to protect the privacy and rights of individuals in the digital age.