Watch out for the telescreens, comrades!
School used student laptop webcams to spy on them at school and home
121–130 of 160 posts
Re: School used student laptop webcams to spy on them at school and home
#122The only thing I don't believe is how a school district could afford to develop such sophisticated software.
Taxes.
Re: School used student laptop webcams to spy on them at school and home
#123Sounds like someone in school administration sat in on the highschool students' reading of 1984 and picked up a few ideas.
Re: School used student laptop webcams to spy on them at school and home
#124This was part of a program on PBS called Digital Nation. The show was very interesting, and there's a section where the school IT administrator demonstrates his ability to pull up a students laptop ... and working webcam. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/digitalnation/learni... The relevant part starts at about 4:35. "They don't even realize that we are watching. I always like to mess with them and take a pict…
That's interesting to see from an administrator point of view, but also quite disturbing.
The school I go to now has a similar program (Macbooks for every student), and the Remote Desktop program is used on our laptops as well. It used to be a serious point of contention between the administration and the students. A large number of students actually covered up the webcams on their computer with tape or similar to stop people from watching them.
In theory, the requirements for monitoring were that every once in a while, everyone's computer would have its desktop monitored without their knowledge. If they were doing anything that they weren't supposed to (e.g. on Facebook (via proxies), or looking at porn) Photo Booth, the webcam application, would be opened and a screenshot would be taken, capturing both the offending behavior and the offender.
I know that on a computer provided by the school, any preconception of privacy should be abandoned, but it still seems like a bit much. It seems to me that simply logging activity and then punishing the student after it had been reviewed would be easier and more transparent.
Re: School used student laptop webcams to spy on them at school and home
#125The only thing I don't believe is how a school district could afford to develop such sophisticated software.
Taxes.
Dunno where you're from, but I've never seen government-sponsored software that actually worked properly.
(I remember reading the unemployment insurance website for Illinois once... it only works in IE. Error page: http://www.ides.state.il.us/idclaim/alert.asp )
Re: School used student laptop webcams to spy on them at school and home
#126Earlier quoted context omitted.
I guess that attitude comes from the fact that I've always had to buy my own cake in life. My parents provided me with food, clothing, a place to live, and other "necessities". They never bought me a laptop, a cell phone, a car, or any of the dozens of other things that teenagers seem to feel entitled to these days.
Fine, and good for you. Opportunities aren't uniform, though, and there are students who don't even have those necessities you mention, and have to work for those. I likewise was fortunate to have the opportunity to make my own money at a young age, and so I don't begrudge you that. What I take exception to is the implication that all students have such opportunities, are aware of them, and enjoy the familial stabili…
The student the OP mentioned was given a laptop by the school. I fail to see how a _second_ laptop is anything other than a luxury.
I take exception to the implication that the student's parents are stupid for not seeing the _obvious_ need for a _second_ laptop.
Re: School used student laptop webcams to spy on them at school and home
#127I see a lot of child pornography arguments being made, but what if this was a work laptop that you brought home and your boss spied on you?
Would that be okay?
Re: School used student laptop webcams to spy on them at school and home
#128If this violated child pornography laws, we will get the remarkable outcome that a school system is not allowed within 2500 feet of a school. So it's not all bad!
Should set some interesting precedent. If this isn't child pornography, spying, unlawful wiretapping, etc... then I don't know what is.
Since when did surveillance == pornography? Is CCTV pornography? This story isn't even about pornography. Why are we talking about pornography?!
Re: School used student laptop webcams to spy on them at school and home
#129Earlier quoted context omitted.
Should set some interesting precedent. If this isn't child pornography, spying, unlawful wiretapping, etc... then I don't know what is.
Since when did surveillance == pornography? Is CCTV pornography? This story isn't even about pornography. Why are we talking about pornography?!
because child porn laws - or at least the perception of them - have become so disconnected from basic ideas like victim and intention that they appear completely arbitrary, associated with little more than unauthorised pictures of minors.
Re: School used student laptop webcams to spy on them at school and home
#130From the Philadelphia Inquirer: "This is the first we have heard of this lawsuit being filed and the plaintiff's allegations," he said today. "However, we can categorically state that we are - and have always been - committed to protecting the privacy of our students." "Our district was one of the first to provide free laptops to all of our high school students," Young said. "This initiative has been incredibly succe…
On one hand I really hope the original story is false/overblown, like perhaps the kid was using his webcam in a public setting online and the administrators were simply monitoring. (Which is weird, but not as weird as full-control spying) On the other hand, if it turns out that the story is overblown, I am getting really, really, really, really tired of web outlets yanking my libertarian chain. True abuse needs to be…
Best case scenario for school district:
Prove via FBI or forensic information security audit team that there was no monitoring software of any kind, no remote monitoring, no logging. Prove that the assistant principal did not know what he/she was talking about when she was directly questioned by the parent.
Prove there was no conspiracy to monitor students in their bedrooms. Prove (this is hard) that the assistant principal obtained the incriminating photo by illegally searching their hard drive. Provide settlement in six figures with half of proceeds going to subsidize free laptop program for inner city Philadelphia.
Put assistant principal on leave, supply black electrical tape fee-free, remove any Remote Desktop capabilities in the OS. Hold press conference with state attorney general in two weeks to jointly demonstrate total innocence.
Worst case: TV crews camped out on Lower Merion High School campus for weeks.