How much would a school be able to track its students on a network?

[dcb-z]

My school recently implemented a bunch of tracking when it comes to students. Whenever you login to a computer, the webcam on it will take a picture of you when you login and save the image; whenever you visit a website that triggers a web filter, it snaps a photo and logs the site. We aren't allowed to login to our personal emails at school, and we aren't allowed to charge our phones by plugging them into school computers (they found child porn on a student's phone that way). If you have your own device, they have a new wifi network that requires you to login using your domain account before you can visit any sites.

 

I've never logged into my personal email on a school computer, plugged my phone into a school computer, or logged into the new wifi network. I've previously logged into the old one that just required the wifi password (they've since removed it and I've stuck to mobile data since then), but not the new one.

 

However, I noticed something odd when viewing a friend's Google Drive link at home, on my phone. I had gone through Firefox to view it because the Drive app wasn't letting me save the files. When I checked the URL, I noticed that it had directed me from "drive.google.com/folderview?" to "drive.google.com/a/osd1.org/folderview?". The "osd1.org" string is my school's domain. When I tried to remove the /a/osd1.org string and reload the page, it redirected me so that the string was in the URL again. I've never even signed into any school or personal email accounts on my phone through Firefox. The URL redirect didn't happen in Chrome or on my personal computer.

 

I'm not sure how much my school would be able to track me through my personal device, especially when I'm at home on my personal network. Does anyone know if the school would be able to view what Drive files I viewed based on the /a/osd1.org string thing? Furthermore, does anyone know how I can fix this so I can avoid being paranoid that the school is snooping on all the Drive links I open on my phone?

 

 

As a side note, I didn't actually sign any of the legal agreements at the start of the school year that would allow the school to seize and search my property and view my internet history at school. I've signed the agreements in the past, but I "forgot" to do it this year because it would have meant allowing the school to seize my phone for up to a semester if I got caught with it out too many times (I obviously don't agree with that practice, so I refused to sign an agreement that would allow them to do that).

[GDRRiley]

Get a paper to cover up the web cam. also it maters how good IT is.

[Mazeman03]

found child porn on a phone just by plugging it in. you school must spend 90% of its budget on cyber security if thats true 

[Fluffinator]

Get a paper to cover up the web cam. also it maters how good IT is.

They would still have your login so?

[etek]

Is the account your friend is using from the school? That would for sure cause the URL redirection...

 

In that case, it wouldn't matter where you are accessing and you will be redirected accordingly to the school domain.

 

 

 

If your friend's account isn't from the school, that might be more fishy.. I would check what account the file is sent from first.

 

As far as the other measures, they seem pretty darn strict. I wouldn't be going to that school....

[VTF5252]

I would put something in front of the camera every time i logged on and while using it.

Also, WOW that's strict!

[Mazeman03]

 

 

However, I noticed something odd when viewing a friend's Google Drive link at home, on my phone. I had gone through Firefox to view it because the Drive app wasn't letting me save the files. When I checked the URL, I noticed that it had directed me from "drive.google.com/folderview?" to "drive.google.com/a/osd1.org/folderview?". The "osd1.org" string is my school's domain. When I tried to remove the /a/osd1.org string and reload the page, it redirected me so that the string was in the URL again. I've never even signed into any school or personal email accounts on my phone through Firefox. The URL redirect didn't happen in Chrome or on my personal computer.

 

I'm not sure how much my school would be able to track me through my personal device, especially when I'm at home on my personal network. Does anyone know if the school would be able to view what Drive files I viewed based on the /a/osd1.org string thing? Furthermore, does anyone know how I can fix this so I can avoid being paranoid that the school is snooping on all the Drive links I open on my phone?

 

 

easy sue them. they arent allowed to do that.

[GDRRiley]

They would still have your login so?

it would just be annoying for them to see a blank piece of paper and they can still track but at least they are not taking a pic of you every few minutes.

[r1Ns3]

The school should not be able to track what you are doing at home if it wasn't in their terms of agreement and in their code of conduct when you "signed" the agreement. Try looking for some kind of rule like that in CoC.

 

If you found something, ask your parents so you can complain to the headmaster or even worse sue them.

[dcb-z]

Is the account your friend is using from the school? That would for sure cause the URL redirection...

No, my friend is on the other side of the country.

 

 

found child porn on a phone just by plugging it in. you school must spend 90% of its budget on cyber security if thats true 

It happened in the Mac lab at the start of the school year. They found a female student's topless pictures on one of the Macs. I only knew about it because one of my teachers found out about it the day that it happened and told us about it.

 

 

Get a paper to cover up the web cam. also it maters how good IT is.

They're pretty competent.

 

 

I would put something in front of the camera every time i logged on and while using it.

Also, WOW that's strict!

Our school has become incredibly strict this year. Aside from the network and computer security, they also installed (now) about 100 HD cameras all over our incredibly small campus (about 380 students).

[GDRRiley]

 

I'm not sure how much my school would be able to track me through my personal device, especially when I'm at home on my personal network. Does anyone know if the school would be able to view what Drive files I viewed based on the /a/osd1.org string thing? Furthermore, does anyone know how I can fix this so I can avoid being paranoid that the school is snooping on all the Drive links I open on my phone?

 

 

 

they can't do that unless you are connected to their Wi-Fi also if they do search it sue them. They can't. 

[GDRRiley]

 

They're pretty competent.

 

 

Our school has become incredibly strict this year. Aside from the network and computer security, they also installed (now) about 100 HD cameras all over our incredibly small campus (about 380 students).

how good and my school has that but there are closer to 3,000 students there. also you could encrypt  your phone. 

[VTF5252]

 

 

It happened in the Mac lab at the start of the school year. They found a student's topless pictures on one of the Macs.

 

 

That's WAY different to it being on a charging phone. If it's ON the mac, then someone intentionally moved it from a phone to the computer.

[Hackentosher]

No, my friend is on the other side of the country.

 

 

It happened in the Mac lab at the start of the school year. They found a female student's topless pictures on one of the Macs. I only knew about it because one of my teachers found out about it the day that it happened and told us about it.

 

 

They're pretty competent.

 

 

Our school has become incredibly strict this year. Aside from the network and computer security, they also installed (now) about 100 HD cameras all over our incredibly small campus (about 380 students).

you need to switch schools. For one, if the students there are that immature and malicious that they would put child porn on a computer, then the general crowd probably isn't great. Student body of 300 but 100 HD cameras? Sounds like the NSA to me. I agree with @Mazeman03. Sue them for invasion of privacy and switch schools.

[GDRRiley]

 

However, I noticed something odd when viewing a friend's Google Drive link at home, on my phone. I had gone through Firefox to view it because the Drive app wasn't letting me save the files. When I checked the URL, I noticed that it had directed me from "drive.google.com/folderview?" to "drive.google.com/a/osd1.org/folderview?". The "osd1.org" string is my school's domain. When I tried to remove the /a/osd1.org string and reload the page, it redirected me so that the string was in the URL again. I've never even signed into any school or personal email accounts on my phone through Firefox. The URL redirect didn't happen in Chrome or on my personal computer.

 

 

 

Talk to your parents about that at school.

[Josephdalepi]

even if it is their wifi, it doesnt matter.  if its your personal device, thats damned illegal

also, the kid whos phone they found porn on?

not only was it illegal to act on, it was illegal to find it in the first place.  its his shit, it doest NOT matter if he plugged it in.  it is easy to bypass all this, by the way

also, can i ask what school? i really want to research their bullshit

[Mazeman03]

That's WAY different to it being on a charging phone. If it's ON the mac, then someone intentionally moved it from a phone to the computer.

now thats more believable 

[etek]

I would guess some student downloaded it (from the phone or otherwise). It could be done to have some sort of remote filestream of all connected devices, but I find it unlikely based on context.

 

I would probably ask the school's IT department if this is malicious. If they're so competent, they should easily be able to address your concern. Bringing parents might help as well. From there a lawsuit wouldn't be out of the question..

 

Based on this information I would have switched schools long ago btw..

[Guest]

That's WAY different to it being on a charging phone. If it's ON the mac, then someone intentionally moved it from a phone to the computer.

 

Well to charge the phone you could get one of those usb cables that only has the power wires and not teh data ones. 

[dcb-z]

That's WAY different to it being on a charging phone. If it's ON the mac, then someone intentionally moved it from a phone to the computer.

It could have been that they unintentionally moved their nudes onto the computer, but the situation was worded in a way that made it seem like whatever images you had on your phone were viewable by the school of you plugged your phone into the Macs.

 

 

It probably doesn't matter whether or not you signed the terms of use, since you most likely accept them by using the network. Google for educators is also a pain in the butt on my PC, logging out of my school account is very buggy so things like youtube don't always work. I don't know where you live but here students must be notified whenever what they're doing is being monitored or recorded.

They notified us at the start of the year and it's explicitly stated in the handbook that we students should not expect any form of privacy at school:

On student's cellphone privacy:

On video surveillance:

 

Essentially, students aren't supposed to expect any form of privacy as soon as we sign and return the handbook forms.

[VTF5252]

At least put a lock on your phone and don't tell them/forget it, If you want any privacy. Also, don't sign that, I've never signed mine and nothing has happened.

[dcb-z]

At least put a lock on your phone and don't tell them/forget it, If you want any privacy. Also, don't sign that, I've never signed mine and nothing has happened.

I've had a lock on my phone since freshman year. Not because of poor privacy on the administration's part, but because phone theft is rampant at my school (I could go on for pages about crime and misconduct at my school) and I'd rather not have fellow students going through my texts and photos.

[VTF5252]

I've had a lock on my phone since freshman year. Not because of poor privacy on the administration's part, but because phone theft is rampant at my school (I could go on for pages about crime and misconduct at my school) and I'd rather not have fellow students going through my texts and photos.

Yeah, I no what nosy classmates are like. I also have bruised a kids hand because he touched my phone. I wasn't having a good day and the look on his has when I slapped his hand was AMAZING. 

[dcb-z]

Yeah, I no what nosy classmates are like. I also have bruised a kids hand because he touched my phone. I wasn't having a good day and the look on his has when I slapped his hand was AMAZING. 

I tend to keep my phone in my purse at all times (so I don't get detention for being caught with my phone out), so I never have an issue with classmates trying to touch my phone.

[Donut417]

I thought my collage was bad. Eastern Michigan University has a lock down browser some professors use. The browser is full screen, you have access to nothing, No task bar, it even adjusts permission for you account. The browser can use your webcam and mic. So when I had to use it last semester, I use my desktop computer with no webcam and disconnected my headset. Granted this was put in place to stop people from cheating on test online I think, but I find it still sad.