The Bait-and-Switch Formula of Student Surveillance Software
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EdTech companies promise privacy and boundaries, but parents must understand that the fine print is filled with exceptions.
The Education Technology (EdTech) industry is booming, with the student surveillance arm alone valued at $8 trillion. This is in addition to the hundreds of millions in federal funding, the fruit of lobbying efforts and political connections. The funding is used by EdTech companies to market their student surveillance software to schools, downplaying the startup costs while later collecting ongoing subscription fees.
These programs, such as Gaggle, Lightspeed, Bark, Securly, and GoGuardian, are installed on student learning devices and attached to their login IDs. They run in the background to scan everything a child does while using those devices or logins and alert designated authority figures when certain algorithm “red flags” are triggered. Depending on the software, features can include AI-driven behavioral detection, social media monitoring, student communications monitoring, online and web monitoring, and remote video monitoring or proctoring.
But do parents understand the reach of these student surveillance programs? While parental views are mixed as to the extent these programs should be used, the common belief is that they are a safety tool which is limited to the school environment only – giving the impression that student privacy outside of school is still honored and protected. A closer look, however, shows that this assumption is mistaken and can be linked to the deceptive marketing terminology used by EdTech student surveillance companies.
Take Gaggle, for instance, which integrates into widespread education apps such as those provided by Google and Microsoft. This software provides an example of the confusing (and potentially deceptive) language used by EdTech surveillance companies when describing its capabilities and data collection. Though Gaggle states that it “does not monitor students’ social media accounts, personal email accounts, personal devices, or web browsers,” its website continues to state that “It only monitors content and activity, such as documents or chat messages, produced using a school-owned device, email address, or online tools within Google Workspace for Education, Microsoft 365, Google Chat, Microsoft Teams, and the Canvas learning management system.” This statement implies that the first items are not monitored at all, but fails to inform the user of the many exceptions to these claims. Thus, the same conduct on a school-issued device or account (even using a personal device) is most certainly monitored by the software:
Image from Gaggle’s Frequently Asked Questions for Parents
Image from Gaggle’s Frequently Asked Questions for Educators
Contradictory language can be found throughout the Gaggle Student Data Privacy Notice, often in the form of affirmative statements immediately followed by exceptions:
● After describing FERPA protections limiting student data shared with third-party entities, Gaggle then informs the user that it qualifies as an exception, as it is “acting as a school official with legitimate educational interest . . . and is using student data only for an authorized purpose and in furtherance of such legitimate educational interest.”
● “Data is never shared with unrelated third parties for research, although de-identified data is used to improve the product”
● “User identity is not linked to other sources, except student information systems as provided by the school or district”
● “Gaggle does not combine personally identifiable information except for data produced by the school or district.”
● “Users do not create or upload data on Gaggle but may do so via the platforms being monitored.”
Other data collected by Gaggle include student and parent/guardian first and last names, physical address and email address, along with parent/guardian phone numbers, student ID, and the “approximate location of a student [as] collected through the Gaggle browser extension.”
While some parents may give schools the benefit of the doubt in providing student surveillance software, most would draw a line in the software monitoring their child outside of the school and inside their home. Parents should begin the conversation by questioning their child’s school about what student surveillance software is used, what data can be collected, what data has already been collected, and what data the school has shared with the companies. They should also ask the extent of the program’s reach to determine if the software is operating in any capacity outside of the school premises. Parents can request the company or application’s privacy policies, a copy of the contract documents signed with the school district, and all other pertinent documents outlining who is responsible for the safeguarding of data and how this will be done.
Finally – and most importantly – parents can request that their child be opted out of the programs and work with the school to implement an education plan free from student surveillance software for their child. In doing these things, parents can regain control over their child’s data and safeguard their child’s education.
Please visit www.truthineducation.org to obtain an opt out form covering a variety of sensitive subjects along with instructions how to file it with your child’s school. Already have an opt out and need help enforcing it? Contact us at info@truthineducation.org.
For further information, read the full Truth In Education report found at Truth In Education.
Katie Allen - Policy Advisor for Truth in Education (TIE), a Christian, Atlanta-based nonprofit that exposes harmful ideologies and Marxist globalist agendas in America’s schools and advocates for parental rights. TIE works to equip families and churches to reclaim their biblical role in children’s education. The organization leads efforts to promote homeschooling, launch Christian schools, and equip parents to stand firm in the spiritual battle for the hearts and minds of the next generation. Truth in Education also engages in legislative efforts to defend parental rights and protect children from government overreach.
I appreciate your column. It brings back memories over a decade ago, fighting what was happening with public K-12 education and even some private and parochial schools.
Parents need to WAKE UP! Unfortunately, in today's world, we need to distrust everyone who is in a position of authority. Expecting the worst is about the only way to not be disappointed.
When are parents going to realize they were misled and miseducated when they were in school and programmed to accept what they are told by those who are in authoritative positions?
Their children are the product. That is why they are given laptops at no cost to them ..., but funded by taxpayers. Their data are the andrenochrome of information sought by those who seek to control them throughout their lives.
The same goes for school funding. There is a direct correlation between increased funding and slumping test scores. This is by design! Ironically, with fewer children enrolling in public K-12 schools, in addition to increased funding leading to decreased test scores, why are more people being employed within a deliberately crumbling system?
There is never something for free that doesn't come without strings. If parents truly love their children, they need to become totally informed about what is happening to their children in K-12 education.
Problem solved if they do not allow “devices” except pen or pencil on paper, with a real human teacher in front.