High school allegedly using webcams to spy on students while at home

[tripin_billie]

Well, hot on the heels of yesterday's doodle girl getting arrested, this is actually a case where I just don't know what the school administration could have been thinking.

If what is alleged (spying on students in their homes) is true, then there should be more than a civil case, and I wouldn't be surprised if there are criminal charges. I think it is pretty safe to say, that if you randomly watch high school kidsin front of their computers in their rooms, you are going to likely see things that would get you into some child pornography issues.

Link (http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/18/school-allegedly-uses-students-laptop-webcam-for-espionage-law/)

[Pinner]

This is a crazy story...

[JFK]

The tale begins when Assistant Principal Lindy Mastko of Harriton High School informed a student that he was "engaged in improper behavior in his home"; the suit alleges that when pressed for details, Mastko told both the boy and his father that the school district could remotely activate the webcam -- a capability that is apparently being used.

Sounds like she activated the webcam and watched a kid flog the dolphin.

She should be in jail. Sure as hell shouldn't be in a position of authority in a high school...

[MelBridgeman]

mmmm not sure how much i believe this, after reading this...

for all we know this kid took a picture of himself and somehow accidentally uploaded it on the school network

[mykalberta]

You cant activate a webcam remotely unless you use some serious hackstar skillz.

You would need to remote the computer first to activate the webcam or have one of those home sec cams that act as a wireless access point which I doubt they gave to kids.

I call bs on this story. Sounds like the kid did something and now wants someone else to blame.

More than likely the kid was using the school given webcam for something other than its intended use and uploaded it and the school found out about it.

Also, you cant really take the parents/kids word on the "she told us they could remote activate the webcams".
Remote activate while in school on their network maybe, over the WAN to someones home - umm no.

[Azure]

If true, I hope the school is sued for all its worth and then some.

[Table 5]

If true, I hope the school is sued for all its worth and then some.

Why do people have to be sued, why can't people just be fired these days? Do millions of dollars always have to be exchanged for every mistake?

Please don't turn into the U.S, that sue happy road is not one you want to be going down.

[Bobblehead]

You cant activate a webcam remotely unless you use some serious hackstar skillz.

You would need to remote the computer first to activate the webcam or have one of those home sec cams that act as a wireless access point which I doubt they gave to kids.

I call bs on this story. Sounds like the kid did something and now wants someone else to blame.

More than likely the kid was using the school given webcam for something other than its intended use and uploaded it and the school found out about it.

Also, you cant really take the parents/kids word on the "she told us they could remote activate the webcams".
Remote activate while in school on their network maybe, over the WAN to someones home - umm no.

Ummmm - yes; they do have the ability.
The school supplied the laptops, the school has the security software installed.

• How did the security feature work?

Upon a report of a suspected lost, stolen or missing laptop, the feature was activated by the District's security and technology departments. The tracking-security feature was limited to taking a still image of the operator and the operator's screen.

http://www.lmsd.org/sections/news/default.php?m=0&t=today&p=lmsd_anno&id=1137

[The Goon]

Okay, I am taping a piece of cardboard over the webcam on my company-supplied laptop.

[Yeah_Baby]

Okay, I am taping a piece of cardboard over the webcam on my company-supplied laptop.

Or just save your personal computer at home for fapping to porn.

[CaptainCrunch]

Okay, I am taping a piece of cardboard over the webcam on my company-supplied laptop.

Or faap away while you have a picture of your boss on your screen. Then dance in front of your computer Buffalo Bill style while wearing a mask that looks like your boss.

[Locke]

Maybe they were just trying to land an interview with Chris Hanson.

[Azure]

Why do people have to be sued, why can't people just be fired these days? Do millions of dollars always have to be exchanged for every mistake?

Please don't turn into the U.S, that sue happy road is not one you want to be going down.

Because the invasion of privacy is worth suing over. And by suing the school it will set the precedence that nobody will ever do it again.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not sue happy at all. I do think people go overboard. But in some cases, like this one, I fully support it.

The school needs to be taught a lesson. Simply firing people isn't good enough.

[OnTheFly]

Am I the only one that saw that Bruce Willis Documentary called "Die Hard 4:How You Gonna Die? Hard! Really Hard? REALLY F'ING HARD! Wow... That's pretty hard. I know right? We still going to a movie later? Yeah okay... Which one? ROADHOUSE!!"

I think it's safe to say that it was proven that it can be done.

Oh and... Kevin Smith played Bobba Fett in it.. or something.

[tripin_billie]

Because the invasion of privacy is worth suing over. And by suing the school it will set the precedence that nobody will ever do it again.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not sue happy at all. I do think people go overboard. But in some cases, like this one, I fully support it.

The school needs to be taught a lesson. Simply firing people isn't good enough.

Exactly, this is the definition of punitive damages. Make them pay so that others don't even try to attempt the same crap.

I just wish it wasn't going to be tax payers money footing the bill. Oh well.

[JFK]

You cant activate a webcam remotely unless you use some serious hackstar skillz.


There's actually some pretty easy-to-use software out there that anybody can install on their computer. It gives you the ability to access your laptop from another computer, and control all of it's functions.

I remember a pretty epic thread a while back when someone had their laptop stolen, which had this software. He then logged into his laptop, activated the webcam, and took snapshots of the thief.

[valo403]

You cant activate a webcam remotely unless you use some serious hackstar skillz.

You would need to remote the computer first to activate the webcam or have one of those home sec cams that act as a wireless access point which I doubt they gave to kids.

I call bs on this story. Sounds like the kid did something and now wants someone else to blame.

More than likely the kid was using the school given webcam for something other than its intended use and uploaded it and the school found out about it.

Also, you cant really take the parents/kids word on the "she told us they could remote activate the webcams".
Remote activate while in school on their network maybe, over the WAN to someones home - umm no.

Remote access isn't difficult at all. I'm a moron with computers and I use it all the time.

[MelBridgeman]

Remote access isn't difficult at all. I'm a moron with computers and I use it all the time.


But you know the IP address of your computer before hand, the school would also need to know this to access the computer.

I still think the story is BS...total BS...the kid uploaded an image and got busted and now his parents are whining.

[tripin_billie]

But you know the IP address of your computer before hand, the school would also need to know this to access the computer.

I still think the story is BS...total BS...the kid uploaded an image and got busted and now his parents are whining.

Not really, the computers were school owned, loaded with their software. Easy enough for them to do, even without IP addresses.

[tripin_billie]

Update with more tech info.

Really creepy:

link 1 (http://www.boingboing.net/2010/02/22/school-spying-infect.html)

Link 2 (http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/23/pa-school-district-issued-order-to-refrain-from-webcam-spying-v/)

[Shazam]

You cant activate a webcam remotely unless you use some serious hackstar skillz.

You would need to remote the computer first to activate the webcam or have one of those home sec cams that act as a wireless access point which I doubt they gave to kids.

I call bs on this story. Sounds like the kid did something and now wants someone else to blame.

More than likely the kid was using the school given webcam for something other than its intended use and uploaded it and the school found out about it.

Also, you cant really take the parents/kids word on the "she told us they could remote activate the webcams".
Remote activate while in school on their network maybe, over the WAN to someones home - umm no.If someone uses IE, I can do anything to their computer.

[valo403]

If someone uses IE, I can do anything to their computer.

Can you make it so mine will let me watch the game tonight?

[Shazam]

Can you make it so mine will let me watch the game tonight?I'll be watching you watch the game!

[Bobblehead]

And the case marches on.....

A suburban school district secretly captured at least 56,000 webcam photographs and screen shots from laptops issued to high school students, its lawyer acknowledged Monday.

"It's clear there were students who were likely captured in their homes," said lawyer Henry Hockeimer, who represents the Lower Merion School District.http://www.dailyfinance.com/article/pa-district-took-56000-images-on-student/912040/