[LINK] More on the laptop webcams

Kim Holburn kim at holburn.net
Mon Feb 22 11:08:02 AEDT 2010


OK so do the laptops given to Australian children have this capability?


On 2010/Feb/22, at 10:23 AM, Jan Whitaker wrote:

>
>> Good Morning Silicon Valley
>>
>> Q U O T E D
>>
>> "Plaintiffs and Class members were never informed that the webcam
>> incorporated into the students' personal laptop computer could be
>> remotely activated ... at the whim of the School District, and that
>> such activation would naturally capture images of anything in front
>> of the webcam at the time of its activation. In as much as the
>> personal laptop computers were used by students of the high schools
>> and their families, it is believed and therefore averred that the
>> School District has the ability to and has captured images of
>> Plaintiffs and Class members without their permission and
>> authorization that many of the images ... may consist of images of
>> minors and their parents or friends in compromising or embarrassing
>> positions, including, but not limited to, in various stages of dress
>> or undress."
>>
>> (<http://click1.newsletters.siliconvalley.com/tbvwhvpgmmwkcrzjkbfczkdgsdkwtfsctbvfrtvjwcccjl_dspcmhmddpmm.html 
>> >
>> From a lawsuit filed against the Lower Merion (Pa.) School District
>> on behalf of a student who was accused by an assistant principal of
>> engaging in "improper behavior" at home, as evidenced by a photo
>> taken by the webcam in his school-issued laptop.)
>>
>> "The District is dedicated to protecting and promoting student
>> privacy. The laptops do contain a security feature intended to track
>> lost, stolen and missing laptops. This feature has been deactivated
>> effective today. ... Upon a report of a suspected lost, stolen or
>> missing laptop, the feature was activated by the District's security
>> and technology departments. The tracking-security feature was
>> limited to taking a still image of the operator and the operator's
>> screen. This feature has only been used for the limited purpose of
>> locating a lost, stolen or missing laptop. The District has not used
>> the tracking feature or web cam for any other purpose or in any
>> other manner whatsoever."
>>
>> (<http://click1.newsletters.siliconvalley.com/yfqmqkvzbbmngtlcnfrglnpzypnmwrygwfkrtwkcmgggcq_dspcmhmddpmm.html 
>> >Dr.
>> Christopher McGinley, the district's superintendent, responds.)
>
>
> Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
> jwhit at janwhitaker.com
> blog: http://janwhitaker.com/jansblog/
> business: http://www.janwhitaker.com
>
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-- 
Kim Holburn
IT Network & Security Consultant
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