Gunner_Mania Posted February 23, 2010 Posted February 23, 2010 A school district in Pennsylvania spied on students through web cameras installed on laptops provided by the district, according to a class action lawsuit filed this week. Lower Merion school district, in a well-heeled suburb of Philadelphia, provided 2,300 high-school students with Mac laptops last autumn in what its superintendent, Christopher McGinley, described as an effort to establish a "mobile, 21st-century learning environment". The scheme was funded with $720,000 (£468,000) in state grants and other sources. The students were not allowed to install video games and other software, and were barred from "commercial, illegal, unethical and inappropriate" use. The district retained remote control of the built-in webcams installed on the computers – and used them to capture images of the students, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court this week. The ruse was revealed when Blake Robbins, a student at Harriton high school, was hauled into the assistant principal Lindy Matsko's office, shown a photograph taken on the laptop in his home and disciplined for "improper behaviour". According to Robbins, Matsko said the school had retained the ability to activate the laptop webcams remotely, at any time. Backed by his parents, Robbins filed a lawsuit on behalf of all students provided with laptops by the school. The suit claims a violation of the privacy and civil rights of the students and their families and accuses officials of violating electronic communications laws by spying on them through "indiscriminate use of an ability to remotely activate the webcams incorporated into each laptop". It claims that since the laptops were used by students and their friends and family at home, images of "compromising or embarrassing positions, including ... in various states of undress" have been captured. A school district spokesman, Douglas Young, did not return a call seeking comment, but told the Philadelphia Inquirer the district was investigating. "We're taking it very seriously," he said. In a letter posted on the school district's website, McGinley said the district had installed on the laptops a security feature that allowed the webcam to photograph the computer operator in the event the laptop is lost or stolen. He said that following the suit's filing, the district disabled the feature amidst a review of technology and privacy policies. He said the feature was activated only to help locate a lost or stolen laptop. "The district never activated the security feature for any other purpose or in any other manner whatsoever," he wrote. "We regret if this situation has caused any concern or inconvenience among our students and families." http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/feb/19/schools-spied-on-students-webcams :omg:
Sachinism Posted February 23, 2010 Posted February 23, 2010 I can't explain in words how wrong that is.
Karan114 Posted February 23, 2010 Posted February 23, 2010 I can't explain in words how wrong that is. :dito:
Ram Posted February 23, 2010 Posted February 23, 2010 Oh Dear, they're in so much trouble now.. The school will probably be bankrupted into poverty by all the lawsuits filed by the families of the students. P.S; Lower Merrion is where Kobe Bryant did his high-school. Wonder if its the same school. :hmmm:
achilles Posted February 23, 2010 Posted February 23, 2010 Wow. I'm so happy I'm in India. Atleast we don't get spied on in the name of national security for every random reason possible.
achilles Posted February 23, 2010 Posted February 23, 2010 ^ It is. If not, why is Vikram Buddhi in jail?
ViruRulez Posted February 23, 2010 Posted February 23, 2010 The ruse was revealed when Blake Robbins, a student at Harriton high school, was hauled into the assistant principal Lindy Matsko's office, shown a photograph taken on the laptop in his home and disciplined for "improper behaviour". :WTF: I can still understand at school but spying on his laptop at home too is ridiculous .. so what did the school authorities expect .. the students should not have any freedom at home too .. I mean WTF .. WTF ... imagine flamy or h4te getting their laptops spied while they are even at home :P
bhanu Posted February 23, 2010 Posted February 23, 2010 wished it was me then i woulda sued the hell out of them for 10 millions dollar then enjoy my life :finger:
yoda Posted February 23, 2010 Posted February 23, 2010 ^ It is. If not' date=' why is Vikram Buddhi in jail?[/quote'] vikram buddhi broke US laws by writing inflammatory messages on the internet threatening and encouraging others to bomb the US president. what he did was stupid and dangerous and he is facing punishment for that. now what the school district did here seems totally illegal and I bet they now wish they weren't this dumb. what business is it anyways of the school to monitor the kids outside of the classroom?
The Outsider Posted February 23, 2010 Posted February 23, 2010 now what the school district did here seems totally illegal and I bet they now wish they weren't this dumb. what business is it anyways of the school to monitor the kids outside of the classroom? Not just outside the classroom, but if they are found to have recorded or attempt to record nude or semi nude images of minors, they are going to be in deep deep trouble - In a class action lawsuit they might end up shelling out millions besides facing criminal charges.
Watson87 Posted March 4, 2010 Posted March 4, 2010 hahahaha :hysterical::hysterical::--D I am kinda scared now:haha:
Gunner_Mania Posted March 4, 2010 Author Posted March 4, 2010 hahahaha :hysterical::hysterical::--D I am kinda scared now:haha: Is this why you want to change your username???
Bumblebee Posted March 5, 2010 Posted March 5, 2010 :hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical:
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