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Parents Are Forcing Tech Companies That Monitor Schoolkids to Delete the Data

23 points by seapunk 7y ago

deogeo 7y ago
> Like thousands of American public school districts, Montgomery county gives students laptops and has hired tech companies to track students’ activities on those computers This is one of the rare occasions where I am sympathetic to libertarians - the state takes money in the form of taxes, and returns it in the form of spyware-infected laptops. If parents could keep that money, they could buy laptops that would not betray them.
- brutal_chaos_ 7y ago
  I have to kindly disagree for these reasons: Cost: Not every parent can afford a laptop for their child, let alone children. When a state, county, or city (not sure where the taxes do come from) covers the cost, the many help the few and the cost burden is lower. Yes, some end up paying for what they don't use. (In theory this is where the balance of social programs come in). Technical: Not every kid would end up with what they need for class. Example: Last year my perfectly good Ubuntu Laptop from Dell worked great, now my kid must use Windows because <insert proprietary software that doesn't work via wine>. Oh and the class requirements changed for the next years after one was already purchased so no planning ahead possible. Hand-wavy Solution?: However, perhaps the People should push for anti-spying-on-kids legislation for those that already have laptops and states/counties/towns that are headed towards new laptops should have that type of legislation before the kids even get them. (IMHO this is where ideas akin to 'it takes a village to raise a child' can shine through.)
  - deogeo 7y ago
    I'd be willing to accept school-issued laptops, if any monitoring software is loudly announced, and the parents can modify/install/remove software as they wish. I.e. with the exception of needing to return them, it's their laptop - no "it's okay if they spy on you because they're not really yours" justifications.
nesky 7y ago
Why do we as adults presume a child of say 6 or 7 years of age understands the context or ramifications of searching taboo terms on the Internet and subsequently put said child in trouble for being curious?

23 points by seapunk 7y ago

> Like thousands of American public school districts, Montgomery county gives students laptops and has hired tech companies to track students’ activities on those computers This is one of the rare occasions where I am sympathetic to libertarians - the state takes money in the form of taxes, and returns it in the form of spyware-infected laptops. If parents could keep that money, they could buy laptops that would not betray them.

brutal_chaos_ 7y ago
I have to kindly disagree for these reasons: Cost: Not every parent can afford a laptop for their child, let alone children. When a state, county, or city (not sure where the taxes do come from) covers the cost, the many help the few and the cost burden is lower. Yes, some end up paying for what they don't use. (In theory this is where the balance of social programs come in). Technical: Not every kid would end up with what they need for class. Example: Last year my perfectly good Ubuntu Laptop from Dell worked great, now my kid must use Windows because <insert proprietary software that doesn't work via wine>. Oh and the class requirements changed for the next years after one was already purchased so no planning ahead possible. Hand-wavy Solution?: However, perhaps the People should push for anti-spying-on-kids legislation for those that already have laptops and states/counties/towns that are headed towards new laptops should have that type of legislation before the kids even get them. (IMHO this is where ideas akin to 'it takes a village to raise a child' can shine through.)
- deogeo 7y ago
  I'd be willing to accept school-issued laptops, if any monitoring software is loudly announced, and the parents can modify/install/remove software as they wish. I.e. with the exception of needing to return them, it's their laptop - no "it's okay if they spy on you because they're not really yours" justifications.

nesky 7y ago

Why do we as adults presume a child of say 6 or 7 years of age understands the context or ramifications of searching taboo terms on the Internet and subsequently put said child in trouble for being curious?