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School Surveillance Tools Are Harming Kids and Making It More Difficult to Finish Homework, Report Finds

Sep 23, 2023 - gizmodo.com
The Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) has raised concerns over the use of education technology tools in schools, highlighting privacy issues and unintended consequences. The CDT surveyed over 1,000 high school students, teachers, and parents, finding that content filtering tools were making it difficult for students to complete coursework by blocking access to useful content. The report also found that these tools were being used to block LGBTQ+ and race-related content, with students from marginalized communities disproportionately affected.

The report also highlighted the use of AI-enabled activity monitoring software, with two-thirds of teachers reporting students being disciplined due to the software. There were also concerns over the handling of sensitive student data, with 73% of parents expressing concern. In response to the report, a coalition of 19 organizations has called on the Department of Education to provide clearer guidance on the use of AI in education and to prevent discrimination against protected classes of students.

Key takeaways:

  • The Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) surveyed over 1,000 high school students, teachers, and parents, revealing concerns about the use of education technology tools in schools, particularly content filtering tools.
  • Almost three-quarters of the students surveyed said these filtering tools made it more difficult for them to complete coursework by blocking access to useful content and information.
  • Both teachers and students reported that filtering tools intended to target adult content are being used to block LGBTQ+ and race-related content, with disciplinary action and punishment not experienced equally among all students.
  • A coalition of 19 organizations has called on The Department of Education to issue clearer guidance on ways schools can prevent discrimination against protected classes of students carried out via edtech.
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