• Motivations

• School safety

• Student safety

• Political / religious orthodoxy

• Legal Issues

• First Amendment rights

• Federal / State Legislation
  • 2019 – Restoring, Enhancing, Securing, and Promoting Our Nation’s Safety Efforts (RESPONSE) Act
  • Includes a provision called “Children’s Internet Protection” amendment that encourages districts to invest in programs that detect “online activities of minors who are at risk of committing self-harm or extreme violence against others.” Under the bill, almost all federally funded schools would be required to install software of this kind.

• Targets

• Teachers

• Students

• Parents

• Types of Monitoring

• Publicly-Available Content

• Private Accounts

• Messaging Tools

• Hacking / Unauthorized Intrusion

• Risks

• Invasion of privacy / overreach

• Chilling of speech

• Abuse of power against teachers, students, and/or parents

• Tools

• Human Resources / School Investigators

• Software / Artificial Intelligence

• Third Party Investigators

• Parents

• Resources

– #2022–03–03 Mother at center of Rochester Community Schools social media scandal speaks out
“https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2022/03/04/mother-at-center-of-social-media-scandal-against-rochester-community-schools-speaks-out/”
– #2022–02–25 Linewize Webinar Stresses Need for K–12 Safety Monitoring
“https://www.govtech.com/education/k–12/linewize-webinar-stresses-need-for-k–12-safety-monitoring”
– #2022–02–24 Lee County school district accused of spying on social media
“https://www.winknews.com/2022/02/24/lee-county-school-district-accused-of-spying-on-social-media/”
– #2021–12–17 Utah officials urge social media monitoring after school threats
“https://kutv.com/news/local/officials-urge-social-media-monitoring-after-school-threats”
– #2021–12–16 Schools ask parents to help monitor student’s social media amid vague threats
“https://kutv.com/news/local/schools-ask-parents-to-help-monitor-students-social-media-amid-shooting-threats”
– #2021–11–02 Berkeley County school leaders encourage parents to learn apps, monitor social media to keep children safe
“https://www.counton2.com/news/local-news/berkeley-county-news/berkeley-county-school-leaders-encourage-parents-to-learn-apps-monitor-social-media-to-keep-children-safe/”
– #2019–11–07 A Newly introduced Federal Bill prompts Texas schools to begin to monitor students social media
“https://www.newschannel10.com/2019/11/07/river-road-isd-begins-utilize-software-monitor-students-social-media/”
– #2019–11–01 New Bill Would Require Schools to Monitor Social Media
“https://www.govtech.com/education/new-bill-would-require-schools-to-monitor-social-media.html”
– #2019–08–22 School Safety Package Includes AI, Social Media Monitoring
“https://www.govtech.com/biz/school-safety-package-includes-ai-social-media-monitoring.html”
– #2021–09–03 Texas school district to monitor employees’ social media accounts
“https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/texas-social-media-austin-school-district”
– #2021–09–02 Texas schools are surveilling students online, often without their knowledge or consent
“https://www.dallasnews.com/news/investigations/2021/09/02/texas-schools-are-watching-millions-of-students-online-often-without-their-knowledge-or-consent/”
– #2019–05–30 Schools Are Deploying Massive Digital Surveillance Systems. The Results Are Alarming
“https://www.edweek.org/technology/schools-are-deploying-massive-digital-surveillance-systems-the-results-are-alarming/2019/05”
– #2015–07–31 How one school district is monitoring social media of students and teachers
“https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2015/07/31/how-one-school-district-is-monitoring-social-media-of-students-and-teachers/”
– #2013–09–18 California school district hires firm to monitor students’ social media
“https://www.cnn.com/2013/09/14/us/california-schools-monitor-social-media/index.html”
– #2013–09–15 Calif. school district monitors kids’ social media
“https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/15/school-district-monitors-social-media/2817299/”
– [n.d.] Schools: Social Media Surveillance
“https://www.brennancenter.org/issues/protect-liberty-security/social-media/schools-social-media-surveillance”