Thread: Suit Says School Spied On Own Students

http://tinyurl.com/yalurrh


Suit Says School Spied On Own Students

PHILADELPHIA - MyFoxPhilly has obtained a lawsuit filed by a Lower Merion teen and his parents, claiming his high school secretly spied on students at their own homes using school-issued laptops.

The suit claims that Lindy Matsko, an assistant principal at Harriton High School, showed the male student a picture remotely taken by school officials using software to control a web camera on his laptop.

Matsko allegedly told the student the image showed he was doing something wrong inside his house.

The student told his parents about the incident, the suit claims, and the boy’s father confronted Matsko.

The suit claims Matsko acknowledged the school could start the webcam and take pictures whenever it wanted to.

The family says the school district violated federal wiretapping laws and that as many as 1,800 students could be affected at Harriton and Lower Merion High Schools.

The family also claims that every high school student in the district had a webcam laptop and the computers were paid for with state and federal aid money.

Superintendent Christopher W. McGinley was also named in the suit.

The AP tried contacting him without response.


[Something tells me that this school is going to be SUED out of existence. Imagine being a father of a 16 year old girl and finding out that a laptop spycam is being turned on in her bedroom. Along with the lawsuits it wouldn't surprise me to see some fists flying..]

The family also claims that every high school student in the district had a webcam laptop and the computers were paid for with state and federal aid money.

WTH?!?!? Lower Merion is a wealthy suburb of Philadelphia, why in hell are we paying for their laptops!?!?!?!

I would totally FREAK is my kids school invaded my kids privacy this way. Let the lawsuits begin!

Since when does the school administration have any control over what goes on when the kid is out of school. And for them to take command like this when a kid is no longer their responsibility is insane.
My imagination is running away with possible consequences (getting arrested because of something they don't like going on in the home), but the school, unless they had written permission from the parents about monitoring the kid, does not have a leg to stand on. Sue away!

Anyone ever wonder about the cable boxes in our houses?

I would totally FREAK is my kids school invaded my kids privacy this way. Let the lawsuits begin!
_________________

Looks to me as if criminal charges might apply as well since the WEBCAMS are invading the privacy of minors.

[Something tells me that this school is going to be SUED out of existence. Imagine being a father of a 16 year old girl and finding out that a laptop spycam is being turned on in her bedroom. Along with the lawsuits it wouldn't surprise me to see some fists flying..]

This possible situation could be viewed as child exploitation or child pornography, as well as violation of Constitutional protections against unlawful search.

Originally Posted by JohnnyYuma

Anyone ever wonder about the cable boxes in our houses?

A conspiracy type story went around that cable boxes were outfitted with mics and cameras so that cable companies could do surveillance on customers. The story was discredited because an examination of a number of boxes revealed that cable companies were not doing this (it was also too expensive and too much trouble, as well as something employees would have reported). However, in the process of discrediting this, it was also revealed that some hobbyists have indeed constructed devices that allow one to use the set-top box for this purpose. While the number of boxes out-fitted this way are practically non-existent, it is possible that a certain number were created to that spouses could spy on each other or criminals could case out a home.

#
Comcast considers creepy new addition to the set top box | IT News ...
What do you think of Comcast or any other cable provider placing a camera in the set top box for any purpose? ————————————————†”—————————–. Stay on top of ...
blogs.techrepublic.com.com/tech-news/?p=2124 - Cached
#
Comcast wants to put a video camera in your Television set top box
Mar 21, 2008 ... The issue with having a camera of any type in a cable tv set top box are two fold. 1.They are going to be hacked, and probably quite easily. ...
it.toolbox.com/.../comcast-wants-to-put-a-video-camera-in-your-television-set-top-box-23242 - Cached - Similar
#
HOAX: Cameras in Digital Converter Boxes
Feb 20, 2009 ... There doesn't have to be a camera in the cable box. ... And BTW, although it would be impractical to transmit back to the evil eye in the sky via DTV set top boxes, ... Magnavox is putting cameras in their products. ...
urbanlegends.about.com/.../hoax-cameras-in-digital-converter-boxes.htm - Cached - Similar
#
In Soviet Russia America, TV Cable Box Watches YOU!
In Soviet Russia America, TV Cable Box Watches YOU! ... wherein Kunkel says that Comcast is experimenting with putting cameras in their set-top boxes and ...
www.briankaneonline.com/.../in-soviet-r ... tches-you/ - Cached

Moving to other topic's