Posted on 02/18/2010 1:41:55 PM PST by AtlasStalled
A suburban Philadelphia school district used school-issued laptop webcams to spy on students at home, potentially catching them and their families in compromising situations, a family claims in a federal lawsuit. Lower Merion School District officials can activate the webcams without students' knowledge or permission, the suit said. Plaintiffs Michael and Holly Robbins suspect the cameras captured students and family members as they undressed and in other embarrassing situations, according to the suit. * * * The Robbinses said they learned of the alleged webcam images when Lindy Matsko, an assistant principal at Harriton High School, told their son that school officials thought he had engaged in improper behavior at home. The behavior was not specified in the suit. "(Matsko) cited as evidence a photograph from the webcam embedded in minor plaintiff's personal laptop issued by the school district," the suit states. Matsko later confirmed to Michael Robbins that the school had the ability to activate the webcams remotely, according to the suit, which was filed Tuesday and which seeks class-action status.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
well, well, well
So the school put hidden cameras in the bedrooms of minors? We had a State Rep named John McNeil aka John “McFeel” put one in a Nanny’s shower. He went to prison.
Admin on the school’s computer probably needs to be added to the naughty teachers list.
This is like the cameras hidden in the women’s restroom “to catch who’s vandalizing the stalls”.
It sounds like trojan software that hijacked webcam operation.
I know it may be crazy, but I put a piece of paper over my laptop webcam whenever I am not actively using it.
I also whisper quietly when conference phones are on “mute.”
Ya never know.
Prison seems like a reasonable consequence here. Unbelievable.
"Total paranoia is just total awareness." Charles Manson
Every individual who was involved with the decision to allow this, thought this was a good idea or was part of enacting or enabling a Government Education Program to spy on students, friends and family:
Should be fired, found guilty, and put in prison for several years for violating a multiple of laws, to include trespass, child pornography, privacy violations, illegal search and seizure, and Digital Privacy Act for electronic eavesdropping…shall I go on. This not only shocks the senses but on its face is a Constitutional violation at the highest levels!
Wow, .... jail time is a must for this.
Home intrusion. This is a crime. Jail time.
>>”Total paranoia is just total awareness.” Charles Manson<<
It sounds like a corollary to the Total Perspective Vortex.
I have a webcam on my company-proved laptop. I stuck a piece of black tape over it the day they issued it.
Peeping Tom .... on a grand scale!!!!
in the article they said they had the picture and admitted they took it and were in control of the camera. No trojan did this in this particular case. You should always cover your camera. I keep mine disabled in device manager unless i need it.
with that aside..
KNOWING what I know due to my (short) history with the porn industry and how stuff gets out I would likely do great violence on anyone even remotely connected to this if it was my kid.
It would be the stuff that would make a Mel Gibson/Tarrentino/Garth Ennis joint project look like an ABC afternoon special.
I have tape on mine as well.
“Ya never know.”
Wait until you find out your cell phone can be activated without ringing.
Check my post on the other thread for more details.
Additional note: My wife has a laptop issued to her from her work. Personal use of the laptop is limited and they have keyloggers installed to track her usage.
This sounds a lot like someone got caught doing something naughty in violation of previously stipulated terms that they chose to ignore. Instead of owning up, they are filing a lawsuit and screaming "victim"...
If not, if there was no warning, no paperwork... Then these school administrators in this case are morons and deserve what they get.
I prefer: “just because I’m paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get me.”
Agreed; the perpetrators of this should be treated to a massacre!
Orwell’s vision does not even rise to this level, in 1984 everyone knew the game; in this model cameras were hidden in homes to secretly view people through a Government Education Program.
Im sure having the computer turned on falls under “acceptable use”
Thats all the student would need to do to enable the picture to be taken.
Now as to WHY a picture was taken... sure, im sure there was a reason the admins felt they needed to take the pic. Perhaps the kid was suspected of smoking pot and they decided they wanted to try to snap a pic of him lighting up. I dont see how that violated an AUP
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.