School-Based Software Monitors Kids’ Online Searches
| School-Based Software Monitors Kids’ Online Searches | |
|---|---|
| Short Title | School-Based Software GoGuardian Monitors Kids’ Online Searches |
| Location | United States |
| Date | March 2016 |
| Solove Harm | Surveillance, Secondary Use |
| Information | Behavioral, Medical and Health, Preference, Knowledge and Belief, Communication, Identifying, Computer Device |
| Threat Actors | Schools using GoGuardian software, GoGuardian |
| Individuals | |
| Affected | Pupils |
| High Risk Groups | Children |
| Tangible Harms | |
Software called GoGuardian was found to be used in schools in the United States to track kids online behavior and identify potential risk for suicide based on children's online searches.
Description
Schools turned to a third party to provide an additional layer of security on school base laptops: a startup called GoGuardian. The students are allowed to use the computers in school and also take them home.
GoGuardian helps schools create a list of off-limits websites: porn, hacking-related sites and "timewasters" like online games, TV and movie streaming.
The software also has another feature: it tracks students' browsing and search whenever they are using the computer, at home or at school. Surveillance
The software also identifies individuals at risk of suicide based on their online search. Secondary Use
A student who types "suicide" into a search box could be researching Sylvia Plath, Socrates or terrorist movements. And there could be legitimate personal or educational reasons for students to search other flagged terms, from sexual anatomy to sexually transmitted diseases or drugs, without "sending immediate alerts to the powers that be." But there is a high chance that the software would decide that this student is at risk, which might send an indicator to teachers and trigger an internal investigation by the school, parents and a guidance counselor.