School District Could Remotely Activate Webcams on Loaned Laptops
A Philadelphia school district was reportedly installed software on loaned computer that allowed it to activate webcams on the laptops remotely. The school district claims it only ever activated the webcams to find missing or stolen laptops.
The Lower Merion School District, in response to a suit filed by a student, has acknowledged that webcams were remotely activated 42 times in the past 14 months, but only to find missing, lost or stolen laptops – which the district noted would include "a loaner computer that, against regulations, might be taken off campus."
"Despite some reports to the contrary, be assured that the security-tracking software has been completely disabled," Superintendent Christopher W. McGinley said in a statement on the district's Web site late Friday.
The students were probably surprised to find out the school had the ability to spy on them remotely even if it was not using the technology as it claimed. The school has posted some updates about the webcams on its website. If one school district is doing this then are probably others around the country that have the ability to remotely view webcams on loaned laptops.
