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> Chromebooks are designed from the ground up to be locked-down dystopian spyware once you "log in" to them with a specific Google account. Nonsense. They wer

> Chromebooks are designed from the ground up to be locked-down dystopian spyware once you "log in" to them with a specific Google account. Nonsense. They were designed to implement required policies when someone logs into a managed domain. Unless you're logging into something like that (where disclosures have been made and consent has been obtained) then there's no "dystopian spyware" involved. Absent any domain management policies, Chromebook are basically fancy thin clients that make efficient use of web-based services. That having been said, the OP either conspicuously failed to mention that such disclosures were made, or (and this I find to be much more likely) the school was dumb enough to think they don't need to disclose anything because like a lot of school systems, they have gotten the curious idea that they basically own the kids and that the kids have no rights whatsoever. Should that be the case I hope a judge spanks them soundly for it because yeah, they absolutely do need to disclose this stuff to the students or the first time there's a serious problem due to abuse of the monitoring system the school is likely to get very, very pantsed for facilitating child abuse.

fiddlerwoaroof 5y ago
One solution could be to setup the laptop with a personal email account and configure the school email address to forward everything.
- eru 5y ago
  Not really applicable with the Chromebook, but in general I guess the safest thing is to log in to the school stuff only from a VM? (At least that way the damage is limited.)
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
- SamBam 5y ago
  If the student needs to use a Chromebook for school, that won't work. On my daughter's Chromebook, every app and website is tied to the account. It's not just a question of forwarding email.
  - fiddlerwoaroof 5y ago
    Yeah, I’m assuming a lot about the ability to do what you need to do without a school account.
  - staticassertion 5y ago
    You can have multiple accounts on a Chromebook.
    - SamBam 5y ago
      As others have mentioned above, GoGuardian is at the device level, not the account level.
      - staticassertion 5y ago
        https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30915660 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30915660
avs733 5y ago
> (and this I find to be much more likely) the school was dumb It makes me cringe that this is an accurate assessment of how our educational system is run.
gernb 5y ago
Agreed, domain admins can also lock down Windows, iOS, Android, and MacOS. The school is effectively making the computer a terminal into their system. Their system, their rules. I know the OP won't like this answer but the OP should buy their kid another computer for their non-school activities. Of course they could also complain to their school/district to change the polices. Personally, I'm used to it. I have a personal computer for my own use and a corp computer that's managed by corp and is locked down. I don't complain the corp computer is locked down (except when it gets in the way of doing my actual job). For all personal stuff I use my personal computer.
- ryan_j_naughton 5y ago
  That corp computer is owned by your employer. If instead you are a consultant who does work for several clients on your own machine, then it would be unreasonable for them to lockdown your personal machine. Instead, if they want you to use a more secure solution, they should provide the computer.
  - staticassertion 5y ago
    Right, but if you add your account to their organization so that you can get onto their network dont be surprised when they push policies.
  - piyush_soni 5y ago
    In my company setting up the office email on our personal phone is optional. But if we choose to do that, they install this entirely new 'profile' with work apps and controlling software on that in the name of security. I chose not to install it, but some would surely do it. Probably no case can be made against them as they don't force their employees to install mail on their phones.
    - scambier 5y ago
      I did that for convenience (though now I removed it), but the work profile seemed to be well compartmentalized from the personal part, and there was a strong emphasis on this fact before the installation process. If they were to wipe it, only the work profile would be affected. I fortunately never had to try it...
hedora 5y ago
> consent has been obtained Has it been, in this case? If a parent says 'I do not agree to this', then what? Will the school district swap the system out for one that doesn't require end users to waive their legal rights? Has that ever happened when a parent objected to one of these EULAs, even once?
- withinboredom 5y ago
  Not to mention, consent can be revoked at any time in the future without reason. Giving consent once does not mean you have consent forever.
- lalopalota 5y ago
  The school district should give the student a (locked down) computer. No waiving of legal rights is necessary.
drdeadringer 5y ago
> Chromebook are basically fancy thin clients that make efficient use of web-based services This reminds me of Asimov's Multivac home terminals where every user, in the comfort of their home, could dial in a query on their computer terminal and the massive infrastructure which is the continental-sized Multivac computer will respond with an answer.
nybble41 5y ago
> they absolutely do need to disclose this stuff to the students In this case the student is not the owner of the Chromebook. They need to disclose this stuff to, and obtain consent from, the parents before taking control of the device.

fiddlerwoaroof 5y ago

One solution could be to setup the laptop with a personal email account and configure the school email address to forward everything.

eru 5y ago
Not really applicable with the Chromebook, but in general I guess the safest thing is to log in to the school stuff only from a VM? (At least that way the damage is limited.)
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
SamBam 5y ago
If the student needs to use a Chromebook for school, that won't work. On my daughter's Chromebook, every app and website is tied to the account. It's not just a question of forwarding email.
- fiddlerwoaroof 5y ago
  Yeah, I’m assuming a lot about the ability to do what you need to do without a school account.
- staticassertion 5y ago
  You can have multiple accounts on a Chromebook.
  - SamBam 5y ago
    As others have mentioned above, GoGuardian is at the device level, not the account level.
    - staticassertion 5y ago
      https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30915660 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30915660

avs733 5y ago

> (and this I find to be much more likely) the school was dumb It makes me cringe that this is an accurate assessment of how our educational system is run.

gernb 5y ago

Agreed, domain admins can also lock down Windows, iOS, Android, and MacOS. The school is effectively making the computer a terminal into their system. Their system, their rules. I know the OP won't like this answer but the OP should buy their kid another computer for their non-school activities. Of course they could also complain to their school/district to change the polices. Personally, I'm used to it. I have a personal computer for my own use and a corp computer that's managed by corp and is locked down. I don't complain the corp computer is locked down (except when it gets in the way of doing my actual job). For all personal stuff I use my personal computer.

ryan_j_naughton 5y ago
That corp computer is owned by your employer. If instead you are a consultant who does work for several clients on your own machine, then it would be unreasonable for them to lockdown your personal machine. Instead, if they want you to use a more secure solution, they should provide the computer.
- staticassertion 5y ago
  Right, but if you add your account to their organization so that you can get onto their network dont be surprised when they push policies.
- piyush_soni 5y ago
  In my company setting up the office email on our personal phone is optional. But if we choose to do that, they install this entirely new 'profile' with work apps and controlling software on that in the name of security. I chose not to install it, but some would surely do it. Probably no case can be made against them as they don't force their employees to install mail on their phones.
  - scambier 5y ago
    I did that for convenience (though now I removed it), but the work profile seemed to be well compartmentalized from the personal part, and there was a strong emphasis on this fact before the installation process. If they were to wipe it, only the work profile would be affected. I fortunately never had to try it...

hedora 5y ago

> consent has been obtained Has it been, in this case? If a parent says 'I do not agree to this', then what? Will the school district swap the system out for one that doesn't require end users to waive their legal rights? Has that ever happened when a parent objected to one of these EULAs, even once?

withinboredom 5y ago
Not to mention, consent can be revoked at any time in the future without reason. Giving consent once does not mean you have consent forever.
lalopalota 5y ago
The school district should give the student a (locked down) computer. No waiving of legal rights is necessary.

drdeadringer 5y ago

> Chromebook are basically fancy thin clients that make efficient use of web-based services This reminds me of Asimov's Multivac home terminals where every user, in the comfort of their home, could dial in a query on their computer terminal and the massive infrastructure which is the continental-sized Multivac computer will respond with an answer.

nybble41 5y ago

> they absolutely do need to disclose this stuff to the students In this case the student is not the owner of the Chromebook. They need to disclose this stuff to, and obtain consent from, the parents before taking control of the device.