funsec mailing list archives

Re: big brother at school


From: Dave Paris <dparis () w3works com>
Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010 18:41:18 -0500

I'd say there are multiple, *potentially* plausible explanations. 
However, the fatal mistake on the part of the school district was to be 
caught behind the 8-ball and have the class-action suit filed first. 
True or otherwise, every statement they make after the filing of the 
suit is highly suspect and likely viewed as backpedaling and ass-covering.

My gut says they have one hell task to provide a mountain of proof to 
the contrary ahead of them.  When you've got this much public outrage, 
you're starting out at the bottom of a very, very deep hole.

Rob, grandpa of Ryan, Trevor, Devon & Hannah wrote:
I *really* hate to pour cold water on this loverly outburst of outrage, but I came 
across something that is really, really interesting:

http://www.lmsd.org/sections/news/default.php?m=0&t=today&p=lmsd_anno&id=1
137

It may be that the school and schoolboard officials have been blithely spying on 
all their students, snooping via illicit Webcam every night at times when students 
might be assumed to be getting undressed and ready for bed (or early in the 
morning when they might be getting ready for showers).

It might be equally possible that a student, having been "given" a high-priced 
Apple laptop by the school and/or district, decided to see if he could score an extra 
one, possibly to sell.  And, having reported his laptop stolen, got caught.  The 
Webcam mention may be a complete red herring, mentioned only because Apple 
laptops have Webcams.  Or, the appropriate school official, having tracked down 
the laptop, decided to complete the proof, simply by having a look and 
determining if the student was, in fact, operating the computer when the anti-
theft software said he was.

We will not, of course, know which of these two scenarios (or any of a number of 
other possibilities) are true for quite some time ...

======================  (quote inserted randomly by Pegasus Mailer)
rslade () vcn bc ca     slade () victoria tc ca     rslade () computercrime org
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the roster of Those Who Do Things. I don't do any thing. Not one
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any more.         - famous American reviewer and wit, Dorothy Parker
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