Is Lower Merion spying students inside their home? LM official responds [Unbelievable Alert]

Norristown Times Herald ^ | 02/18/10 | Richard Ilgenfritz

[brityank]

From this iteration:

District officials said the first they heard of the allegations was Thursday morning.

From the first story you mentioned above:

"On November 11, 2009, Plaintiffs were for the first time informed of the above-mentioned capability and practice by the School District when Lindy Matsko, an Assistant Principal at Harriton High School, informed minor Plaintiff that the School District was of the belief that minor Plaintiff was engaged in improper behavior in his home, and cited as evidence a photograph from the webcam embedded in minor Plaintiff’s personal laptop issued by the School District."

Someone's lying. Assistant Principal Matsco is a District Official appointed by the local Board. I used to log into my HQ office in CA, either from my home PC, a laptop, or a customer PC - and the opening screen detailed that access to my company's site was restricted and subject to full monitoring of any and all activity. A couple of my customers refused access due to that, as it violated their security protocols, even though I was connecting through a VPN.

I too agree - handcuffs for everyone, especially the administration. Thanks for the ping.

[Drill Thrawl]

District officials said the first they heard of the allegations was Thursday morning. “This is the first we have heard of this lawsuit being filed and the plaintiff’s allegations. However, we can categorically state that we have always been committed to protecting the privacy of our students,”

Classic non-denial denial.

[Fast Moving Angel]

Small piece of black electrical tape over webcam lens. Problem solved.

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

Streaming video website also provided by the schools, I assume? That would have been my tip-off to disable the critter.

Device Manager is all powerful.

[SaraJohnson]

We’re the government and we’re here to help you. Smiley face fascism.

[Tribune7]

As metmom pointed out: "the school is going to be SOOOOOOO screwed......"

Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch :-)

[metmom]

LOL!!!!

[okie01]

“Unbeknownst to the plaintiffs and the members of the class, and without their authorization, defendants have been spying on the activities of plaintiffs and class members by defendants’ indiscriminate use of and ability to remotely activate the webcams incorporated into each laptop issued to students by the school district.

Question:

Is there any evidence whatsoever this has actually been happening?

Or is it simply what one parent thinks might be happening?

[metmom]

From the other thread from the link that Tribune7 provided there as well.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2453722/posts?page=143#143

http://billlawrenceonline.com/photos/RobbinsvLM.pdf

From the link....

Look at page 6 number 23 and 24.

Twenty-three was in the excerpt of the article in the thread and says,....

“On November 11, 2009, Plaintiffs were for the first time informed of the above-mentioned capability and practice by the School District when Lindy Matsko, an Assistant Principal at Harriton High School, informed minor Plaintiff that the School District was of the belief that minor Plaintiff was engaged in improper behavior in his home, and cited as evidence a photograph from the webcam embedded in minor Plaintiff’s personal laptop issued by the School District.”

The real eye opener, is on the next page, page 7, where the school acknowledges that that the computers and school have the ability to do this.....

ARGH, can’t copy and past off the pdf......

I’m going to type it out here....

24. “Michael Robbins thereafter verified, through Ms. Matsko, that the School District in fact has the ability to remotely activate the webcam contained in a students’ personal laptop computer issued by the School District at any time it chose and to view and capture any images that were in front of the webcam, all without the knowledge, permission, or authorization of any persons then and there using the laptop computer.”

Number 25 is even more alarming....

25. Additionally, by virtue of the fact that the webcam can activated at any time by the School District, the webcam will capture anything happening in the room in which the laptop computer is located, regardless of whether the student is sitting at the computer and using it.

[metmom]

ping

[metmom]

See post 29.

[metmom]

See post 29

[metmom]

more on this ping.

[bamahead]

More details on this insanity.



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[1010RD]

This is more believable than that.

[1010RD]

Open the pod bay doors Hal.

[1010RD]

They’re likely to claim in loco parentis in extremis.

[metmom]

I’m sorry, Dave. I can’t do that.

[1010RD]

Then I am just going to have to go medieval on you and tear your diodes out one by one!

[okie01]

Thank you.

The school district is in deep doo-doo.

And well they should be.

Burn 'em!