Student monitoring software

Student Monitoring Software is a type of educational technology product designed to track student online activity in school or on school-issued devices.^[1]

These products enable school administrators and teachers to monitor and filter content that students enage with in real time. This includes search queries, messages, online document editing, and emails among other online activities.^[2]^[3]

Companies like Gaggle.net, Bark Technologies, GoGuardian, and Securly Inc. sell products that are used in school districts across the United States, however smaller companies which produce similar products do exist. Several of these products make use of artificial intelligence technology.^[4]

History

While surveillance of student computer use by schools has existed before the creation of these products, the scale and speed at which monitoring and filtering capabilities can be achieved has grown vastly with the introduction of batch automation as offered by this type of software.^[5]

Concerns

Advocates have expressed concern about the violation of student privacy and risk of over-surveillance of students of marginalized backgrounds and identities. ^[6]^[7]

A 2023 report by the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project addresses the physcologial impact of online surveillance on students as well as the risk of disproportionate harm on low-income students and students of color who are reported as relying on school-issued devices more than personal devices.^[8]

References

^ Ceres, Pia. "Kids Are Back in Classrooms and Laptops Are Still Spying on Them". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
^ Center for Democracy and Technology, “Student Activity Monitoring Software: Research Insights and Recommendations,” September 21, 2021, https://cdt.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Student-Activity-Monitoring-Software-Research-Insights-and-Recommendations.pdf
^ Keierleber, Mark (January 18, 2022). "Remote Learning Ushered In A New Era Of Online Academic Surveillance. What's Next?". NPR.
^ Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey. Constant Surveillance: Implications of Around-the-Clock Online Student Activity Monitoring. United States Senate, 2022. url: https://www.warren.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/356670%20Student%20Surveillance.pdf.
^ Beckett, Lois (2019-10-22). "Under digital surveillance: how American schools spy on millions of kids". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
^ Budington, Bill (2024-09-06). "School Monitoring Software Sacrifices Student Privacy for Unproven Promises of Safety". Electronic Frontier Foundation. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
^ map. "Red Flag Machine". Red Flag Machine. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
^ Sarah Roth et al. Orwell’s Classroom: Psychological Surveillance in K-12 Schools.Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, 2023. url: https://www.stopspying.org/orwells-classroom.

[1] Ceres, Pia. "Kids Are Back in Classrooms and Laptops Are Still Spying on Them". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2024-11-13.

[2] Center for Democracy and Technology, “Student Activity Monitoring Software: Research Insights and Recommendations,” September 21, 2021, https://cdt.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Student-Activity-Monitoring-Software-Research-Insights-and-Recommendations.pdf

[3] Keierleber, Mark (January 18, 2022). "Remote Learning Ushered In A New Era Of Online Academic Surveillance. What's Next?". NPR.

[4] Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey. Constant Surveillance: Implications of Around-the-Clock Online Student Activity Monitoring. United States Senate, 2022. url: https://www.warren.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/356670%20Student%20Surveillance.pdf.

[5] Beckett, Lois (2019-10-22). "Under digital surveillance: how American schools spy on millions of kids". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-11-13.

[6] Budington, Bill (2024-09-06). "School Monitoring Software Sacrifices Student Privacy for Unproven Promises of Safety". Electronic Frontier Foundation. Retrieved 2024-11-13.

[7] . "Red Flag Machine". Red Flag Machine. Retrieved 2024-11-13.

[8] Sarah Roth et al. Orwell’s Classroom: Psychological Surveillance in K-12 Schools.Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, 2023. url: https://www.stopspying.org/orwells-classroom.

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