Spying school district update: turned on webcams 42 times, FBI isn't sure that's legal
By Tim Stevens 
posted February 20th 2010 1:24PM
posted February 20th 2010 1:24PM
posted February 20th 2010 1:24PM
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I'm still mystified that the school thought this was a good idea in the first place - it's just really creepy.
Using Lojack or some type of GPS module, fine, but a webcam?
Being an IT administrator we have an inventory list of every electronic device and who it is assigned to. When something goes missing we have other methods to try and trace its whereabouts. First of all, we go to the last person to have it signed out. Ultimately, that individual is held responsible for the loss of the item. In the case of a school issuing out laptops to students, the parents sign for the laptop that's issued to the student and they are held accountable. True there are ways to trace the whereabouts, and in the case of the MacBooks you can use the remote webcam feature. However, you do not need to turn on ALL of the webcams to try and find a missing machine- Only the webcam of the missing machine itself, provided that it's connected to the internet.
I guess my point is that the school is in deep doo-doo for turning on webcams of laptops that aren't reported as missing or stolen.
I am sure this has been asked before, but if they wanted to locate the laptop then what does taking pictures do? What about GPS on these laptops?
"It would also like to point out that only two employees had the power to flip the switch, and that they only captured images -- never sound. Because, you know, surreptitiously watching your kids is so much less menacing when there's no audio involved."
There is an important legal distinction between the two under the federal wiretapping statues.
@mobilelawyer
Video vs audio may hold an argument in federal court, but video vs audio is state sexual assault statues is very different.
@Ken J
That's supposed to read "in state" not "is state" sorry
@Atkins everyone is just going to do whatever they want to find their missing stuff?
Of coarse people are going to try and find their lost or stolen items. If you lost your phone, don't try and claim that you would not try and call it? Unless you some type of pusillanimous.
Everyone has the legal option to try and locate and reclaim their property within the law. There are too many of you couch lawyers trying to dictate law.
Just as I suspected! Looks like we need to kind of paranoia on our gadgets then, just like the movie Eagle Eye...
"and that it only did so with the bestest of intentions"
The road to hell is paved with these.
I would hate to be the kid whose laptop they turn on and he's in his room using the computer for guy stuff... especially when the kid that was caught "doing inappropriate things in his home" was eating mike-n-ikes..... they thought he was popping pills..... I'm sure in the former case (which may or may not have happened but kids have reported changing and undressing in front of the camera while the light turned green) that has to constitute possession of child porn.... Overall this is terrible, and the people responsible need to be removed from their position. Kids have as much a right to privacy as everyone else and that was violated... and not just the kid's right to privacy, but their family as well. and this is really close to home since I grew up less than 30 miles from the district, and live 100 miles away. (on the other hand, I'd like a free school issued MacBook... I've been trying to get my hands on one for a while!)