Accused of Spying on Student at Home Via School Laptop, District Says It Didn't
An upscale suburban Philadelphia school district accused in a lawsuit of spying on a student at home via the webcam in his school-provided laptop computer says it didn’t do it.
The Lower Merion School District only activated the webcams when it was looking for a missing laptop among the 2,300 or so issued to students, says Superintendent Christopher McGinley in a letter to parents posted late yesterday on a district website, reports the Associated Press. Under those circumstances, the computer could be activated remotely to take a photo of the user and a screenshot.
A spokesman for the district, Doug Young, says it doesn’t believe anyone violated this policy, but is nonetheless reviewing both webcam activations and its computer policy and procedures.
“We’re proud of taking the lead with this initiative, and giving laptops to students, but anytime you’re talking about technology and education and kids, there’s an important conversation to be had about privacy and balance,” he told the news agency today, saying that the district intends not only to vigorously defend the litigation but to prevail.
Taking photos of computer users without their permission, even when a laptop is reported lost or stolen, could implicate privacy issues, the article indictates.
Earlier coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Suit Says School Spied on Student at Home Via Laptop Webcam, Seeks Class Action Status”
