[news] Yahoo - Schools are using monitoring software.

[pcstru]

I think a lot of these articles are a bit confused about keylogging. AFAIK, tools like Impero don't "log" keystrokes. They monitor them in realtime, and compare to the library of alerts. If they don't match, they're discarded. I can't remember seeing a keylog when I had Impero at another school.

 

"Keylogging" is a reasonable description of that and sufficiently informs the non-technical reader what is going on (i.e. what you type in is logged (recorded and available for later analysis)).

[LeMarchand]

1. The use of Classroom Management Software, in conjunction with a school’s use of CCTV and

biometric systems risks normalising children to surveillance.

 

I can see the risks here, but (especially with Theresa May in power) we're more and more being "watched" all the time. Perhaps we should be dedicating some teaching time to give students a heads up as to how accessible their online lives are?

[localzuk]

"Keylogging" is a reasonable description of that and sufficiently informs the non-technical reader what is going on (i.e. what you type in is logged (recorded and available for later analysis)).

Not really. The second part of the word is "logging". There's no log. It is not available for later analysis unless it is a trigger word.

 

Keystroke monitoring would be appropriate.

 

Keylogging is a technology that has been around for decades, and has always meant something very clear - that all keystrokes are logged somewhere.

[Garacesh]

So the report contains data submitted by schools but you don't like that data so you are going to discard it on the basis that it does not conform to your view.

Not in the slightest. The report does not contain data submitted by the schools, it contains Big Brother Watch's interpretation of the data submitted by the schools. If any school is installing software like this on peoples personal devices, then I'd propose that they're probably breaking privacy laws, which as the report suggests is something that should be dealt with if it is occurring. However the report does not provide satisfactory information for me to verify their conclusion.

 

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate that there is a privacy concern with using software like this, even on our own networks. I accept their notes that often the kids don't actually know what that software is capable of doing and whilst it's easy to say "if they're doing what they're supposed to be doing they won't fall afoul of it." they are quite right in saying the students do have a right to know when and how they are being monitored. But the report feels grossly exaggerated. Their use of the term 'keylogging' is over-reaching, and their concerns about classroom management software in conjunction with CCTV are preposterous. CCTV is in place for the protection of pupils and staff, not for some big spying conspiracy.

Edited November 10, 2016 by Garacesh