Harriton High School, near Philly -- provides laptops to all of its students as part of an initiative started last fall. According to a memo posted on the district's Web site, the laptops are offered in order to let students "work on projects and research both at school and at home" with "24/7 access to the software that they use in school."
The laptops also, however, have Webcams -- and, as information released in light of this week's lawsuit confirms, those Webcams can be remotely activated by school staff.
A letter from the district superintendent posted online Thursday states the following:
"District laptops do contain a security feature intended to track lost, stolen and missing laptops. The security feature, which was disabled today, was installed to help locate a laptop in the event it was reported lost, missing or stolen so that the laptop could be returned to the student.
"Upon a report of a suspected lost, stolen or missing laptop, the feature would be activated by the District's security and technology departments. The security feature's capabilities were limited to taking a still image of the operator and the operator's screen. This feature was only used for the narrow purpose of locating a lost, stolen or missing laptop. The District never activated the security feature for any other purpose or in any other manner whatsoever."
The Student's Story
Compare that explanation with the student's story: An assistant principal, the lawsuit alleges, approached the boy at school and told him he'd been caught engaging in some kind of "improper behavior" in his home. The suit claims the administrator went on to say that the laptop's Webcam had captured an image of the activity in action.
Specifically what kind of activity that was hasn't been disclosed (though there's no shortage of Girls-Gone-Wild-style theories floating around out there). Regardless, the boy's parents say they never knew his computer's Webcam could be accessed remotely and used in such a seemingly invasive manner. And their lawsuit, according to The Telegraph, goes as far as to suggest the images captured by the school could "consist of minors and their parents or friends in compromising or embarrassing positions," including "various stages of undress."
http://www.pcworld.com/article/189844/did_a_school_use_webcams_to_spy_on_students_at_home.html
This is unfriggen believable. I would have thier heads. Thats all I would have to say about that.
The laptops also, however, have Webcams -- and, as information released in light of this week's lawsuit confirms, those Webcams can be remotely activated by school staff.
A letter from the district superintendent posted online Thursday states the following:
"District laptops do contain a security feature intended to track lost, stolen and missing laptops. The security feature, which was disabled today, was installed to help locate a laptop in the event it was reported lost, missing or stolen so that the laptop could be returned to the student.
"Upon a report of a suspected lost, stolen or missing laptop, the feature would be activated by the District's security and technology departments. The security feature's capabilities were limited to taking a still image of the operator and the operator's screen. This feature was only used for the narrow purpose of locating a lost, stolen or missing laptop. The District never activated the security feature for any other purpose or in any other manner whatsoever."
The Student's Story
Compare that explanation with the student's story: An assistant principal, the lawsuit alleges, approached the boy at school and told him he'd been caught engaging in some kind of "improper behavior" in his home. The suit claims the administrator went on to say that the laptop's Webcam had captured an image of the activity in action.
Specifically what kind of activity that was hasn't been disclosed (though there's no shortage of Girls-Gone-Wild-style theories floating around out there). Regardless, the boy's parents say they never knew his computer's Webcam could be accessed remotely and used in such a seemingly invasive manner. And their lawsuit, according to The Telegraph, goes as far as to suggest the images captured by the school could "consist of minors and their parents or friends in compromising or embarrassing positions," including "various stages of undress."
http://www.pcworld.com/article/189844/did_a_school_use_webcams_to_spy_on_students_at_home.html
This is unfriggen believable. I would have thier heads. Thats all I would have to say about that.
