Politics Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone! (Apologies to Pink Floyd!)

[surge]

http://sputniknews.com/europe/20150611/1023230044.html

Controversial computer software allowing teachers to spy on school pupils in order to spot early signs of radicalization has been launched in Britain.

Impero, the company behind the software, has developed the first ever keyword glossary for teachers, alongside counter-terrorism think tank, the Quilliam Foundation.

The software spots certain key words or phrases from a 'radicalization library' which are typed into school computers. When the words or phrases are typed in, it triggers a screenshot which captures the screen and identifies the pupil. Terms include 'yodo' — a phrase linked to radicalized jihadists meaning 'you only die once'.
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So, would you be okay with something like this in the US, or do you feel it's an infringement of student privacy? Personally, I think it's probably a waste of time if the true intent is to weed out budding radicals. Now that kids know the software is there they aren't going to use those search terms on the schools computers. That's assuming they wouldn't just use their phone in the first place, here in the States anyway. Not sure how tolerant the Brits are of kids having their phones with them at all times.

 

[Debi]

To me, this is an invasion of privacy, although I have to ask, when do the rights to privacy start? At adulthood? Or before? Kids can't have total privacy, as we have to monitor them and raise them.

 

[surge]

To me, this is an invasion of privacy, although I have to ask, when do the rights to privacy start? At adulthood? Or before? Kids can't have total privacy, as we have to monitor them and raise them.

And I suppose, going down that path, it could be reasoned that if the computers are school property, then the school has a right to monitor what they're being used for. It still smacks of invasion of privacy to me, but I can see the justification. It would be similar to school officials going into a student's locker. The difference being that the computer snooping is blanket, whereas locker searches are usually specific to targeted number of students.