Texas college student forced to purchase burner phone due to mandatory proprietary 2FA app
A college student in Texas was required by their school to use a proprietary two-factor authentication application, OneLogin Protect, on their personal device to access school systems. Because the app blocked access on jailbroken devices and virtual machines, the student was unable to use their existing hardware. To bypass the restriction and log into their […]
Texas School District – topless images reported on school iPad program (needs primary source)
According to a citation collected by an educational technology legal advocacy group, parents in a school district in Texas raised concerns in 2019 after topless images were reportedly accessible through the district’s school-issued iPad program.
Student secretly monitored through remotely activated school webcam
A teacher remotely activated a student’s webcam and observed the student while sleeping and partially undressed. The consequence was a significant invasion of privacy. This is a personal interview. Source available to SHIELD.
Student’s Private Cell Phone Confiscated and Searched by School District
A school district confiscated and searched a student’s personal cell phone, exposing extensive private data, texts, photos, and location history. The student’s family filed a legal action, and the school district ultimately paid a financial settlement for exceeding reasonable search limits.
Sextortion of Teenage Girls by High School Coach on Snapchat
A group of teenage girls as young as 14 in New Mexico were targeted on Snapchat by a high school coach. The coach utilized the platform’s communication features to extort and coerce the girls into sending sexual videos of themselves.
Strict School Internet Filters Block Student Academic Research
A 16-year-old female student was prevented from completing academic research because of overly restrictive internet filters on her school-issued computer. The strict filters, which were implemented by her school district in response to anti-technology backlash, blocked her from accessing appropriate educational information on topics such as breast cancer.
Student Barred from Graduation and Threatened Over Social Media Post
A female student was barred from graduation and threatened regarding her diploma by her school after she made a post on a social media platform coming out as gay. The school had monitored and acted upon her off-campus expression, leading to a legal dispute over the violation of her digital privacy.
Student embarrassed after surveillance software flagged private suicide-related document
A student in Washington state, United States was flagged after writing a private suicide-related document. Adults intervened after the software alert. The student reported embarrassment and discomfort from private writings being read by unintended readers and stated the embarrassment lasted for years. This is a personal interview. Source available to SHIELD.
Pennsylvania High School Senior Experiences Screen Distraction and Falling Grades
A female high school senior in Pennsylvania struggled to concentrate and experienced falling grades due to sustained, daily use of school-issued laptops since kindergarten. She found it difficult to focus when learning from screens, leading her to secretly watch streaming services during class. Although her mother requested that the school district confiscate the laptop, the […]
School district monitors students with AI surveillance software
School officials implemented an AI tool to scan students’ school-issued accounts, documents, emails, and chats for concerning language. Students filed a lawsuit alleging that the constant automated monitoring created an environment of continuous surveillance and chilled their personal expression.