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spitvenom · Feb 18, 2010, 07:52 AM

Lower Merion PA School District (RICH VERY RICH) is allegedly spying on their students. They issued laptops and are able to access the web cams and look in on the student when ever they want when the laptop is turned on. Just wanted to know what you as parents (or even if you don't have kids like me) thought of this. I would have smashed that lap top over the head of the school districts Superintendent. But these people are just going to sue.

http://www.boingboing.net/2010/02/17...Boing+Boing%29

NeedKarma · Feb 18, 2010, 08:03 AM

This seems more like an aberration of the IT group there rather than an overt school policy. The article is very short on details and I did not read the legal filing. I seriously doubt the scholl administrators started this as a policy and wantonly spied on students. My prediction: the IT staff responsible will be canned.

spitvenom · Feb 18, 2010, 08:20 AM

I was reading the legal filing and in there it basically says that the school district can access the computers webcam anytime it wants without any type authorization.

Even if the student isn't using the lap top but it is on it will capture whatever is in front of the web cam. I am not a legal guy but it sounds more on the school district then the IT staff.

NeedKarma · Feb 18, 2010, 08:36 AM

You're right it does. They should be sued up the wazoo. There is an understanding that the school has ownership of their property (the laptop) and all that the student may put on it (including browsing history). This obviously goes too far.

spitvenom · Feb 18, 2010, 08:48 AM

I agree search history or anything else put on there is fair game. But to basically have a window into peoples homes goes WAY to far.

tomder55 · Feb 18, 2010, 09:59 AM

That does it ! I'm putting a piece of duct tape on the web cam immediately . Can't have the school watching all that sexting going on.

spitvenom · Feb 18, 2010, 10:02 AM

I don't even have a web cam. I really have no use for one.

NeedKarma · Feb 18, 2010, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by spitvenom

I don't even have a web cam. I really have no use for one.

Our family is loving using Skype. Grandparents can see and talk to the kids, we can take the laptop around the house if need be. Of course I'm an IT guy and I know and control everything that is on my computers.

tomder55 · Feb 18, 2010, 10:24 AM

Is it possible for a hacker to activate a webcam as the administrators of the school system did ?

spitvenom · Feb 18, 2010, 10:32 AM

I use skype but just as an IM. My wife has a lap top with a web cam and she uses skype with the web cam to talk to her family in CA. I love skype!!

NeedKarma · Feb 18, 2010, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by tomder55

is it possible for a hacker to activate a webcam as the administrators of the school system did ?

If a hacker gets access to your system as an admin then yes, they could turn on the webcam. Streaming the feed in a stealth manner to a another computer takes a little extra doing.

speechlesstx · Feb 18, 2010, 11:05 AM

"who have used this facility to spy on students and even their families. The issue came to light when the Robbins's child was disciplined for "improper behavior in his home" and the Vice Principal used a photo taken by the webcam as evidence."

Yeah, that's about as creepy as it gets. Spying on them is bad enough, but disciplining a child for "improper behavior in his home" after spying on them is grounds an a$$ kicking and a lawsuit.

spitvenom · Feb 18, 2010, 11:08 AM

What did they really think was going to happen when they called the student to the office and showed him the picture of him in his house from the web cam?? Did they think the parents would be OK with this invasion of privacy?

earl237 · Feb 18, 2010, 03:55 PM

Part of the reason why kids are such troublemakers nowadays is because people think that they have "rights". They run wild because they know that their stupid parents will excuse their bad behavior. When I was young, kids had two rights, the right to do what we were told and the right to shut the hell up. We need to return to those values.

speechlesstx · Feb 18, 2010, 04:40 PM

Originally Posted by earl237

Part of the reason why kids are such troublemakers nowadays is because people think that they have "rights". They run wild because they know that their stupid parents will excuse their bad behavior. When I was young, kids had two rights, the right to do what we were told and the right to shut the hell up. We need to return to those values.

The right to privacy in our own homes comes to mind.

Catsmine · Feb 18, 2010, 04:51 PM

This looks to me like another case of a bureaucrat taking stupidity up to government specs. If he had called the parents in and shown them the webcam vid, he might very easily have made Admin of the Year; or gotten arrested for peeping.

spitvenom · Feb 19, 2010, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by earl237

Part of the reason why kids are such troublemakers nowadays is because people think that they have "rights". They run wild because they know that their stupid parents will excuse their bad behavior. When I was young, kids had two rights, the right to do what we were told and the right to shut the hell up. We need to return to those values.

So if you had a daughter who had that lap top open while getting changed for bed the school district could have pictures of her naked. But that is OK with you because she has no rights.

I wonder how long they were watching this student it's not like a lap top can sense bad behavior and snap a picture. Some one was watching him. And that is just sick and creepy.

tomder55 · Feb 19, 2010, 09:25 AM

I think the lawsuit should be class action . If my child was in the district I would sign onto it.

spitvenom · Feb 19, 2010, 09:34 AM

Tom I thought I read on the papers that were filed that it was but I am not 100% sure.

cdad · Feb 19, 2010, 04:23 PM

They have a big problem here. The real issue is who the laptops belong to. ( also the stupidity of any school issuing laptops with webcams). But back to the facts. If they are owned as they have said by the government and that came by way of federal grants. Then by accepting the laptops it may have a implied consent that goes with it. Have you ever used wireless at a hotel? Did you read the fine print? When you use a government product anything and everything is in there. Its just plain stupidity in the first place. Also Im sure they didn't tell anyone because it was suppose to be for anti theft. The whole thing was never thought out.