Ben Kessler //

The Lower Merion School District Webcam Fiasco

If you haven’t read about it, very quickly: a high school in Lower Merion School District just outside Philadelphia is being charged in a class action lawsuit for spying on students with laptop webcams. The Apple MacBooks given to students have software installed that allows administrators to activate the webcams at any time.

How did the parents of LMSD children become aware of the spying? The Vice Principal admitted it! This twit literally tried to reprimand a student for “improper behavior in the home,” brandishing a photo taken from the webcam to prove it. What exactly the student was doing has not been released, but did this Vice Principal really not realize the repercussions he/she would face if actually trying to pursue this?

Last night, Lower Merion School District released a statement explaining that the “security feature” was only activated because the laptop was reported as stolen. This is a blatant lie, and they know it. This is an obvious abuse of power and privacy, and I’m curious to see how this case unfolds.

If you have any legal background, I’d love to hear your thoughts.