School safety programs spy on kids at home on personal devices, study finds

School is back in session, but here’s something no one told you at orientation: Your kids may have more eyes on them than just their teachers’. Even if you don’t have kids in school, you really need to know about this.

A recent study conducted by UC San Diego has revealed concerning information about student safety tools used in schools. These tools, designed to prevent bullying, identify mental health issues, and stop school shootings, have evolved into constant surveillance machines.

According to the study, 86% of companies providing these services monitor students around the clock, not just during school hours and not just on school devices. This means that every Google search, every message, and sometimes even activities on personal phones and laptops at home are being monitored.

Additionally, nearly a third of these companies assign “risk scores” to students based on their online activities. Shockingly, 71% of these companies rely on artificial intelligence to flag potentially concerning behavior, leaving the decision-making process to algorithms.

One disturbing example highlighted in the study involved a teen who was suspended after a draft email was mistakenly flagged by a monitoring company. This incident underscores the invasive nature of these surveillance tools.

Furthermore, about 36% of companies monitor student-owned devices, which can lead to privacy concerns regarding late-night browsing, private messages, and social media activity triggering alerts on monitoring dashboards.

To address these issues, it is crucial for parents to ask schools specific questions about the use of monitoring services. Questions may include inquiries about the types of tools being used, whether personal devices are monitored, how flagged behavior is addressed, and the handling of student data.

While these surveillance systems aim to enhance safety in schools, they also raise significant questions about privacy and oversight. It is essential for parents and students to understand how these tools work and what happens to the data collected.

If you suspect that your child’s school is using these monitoring services, it is important to inquire further and advocate for transparency and data protection. By staying informed and asking the right questions, parents can ensure that their children’s privacy is respected in educational settings.