Feds: No crime spying on kids via webcams - OH! REALLY???

[Fat Man]

OK, here is an update to one of my much earlier topics titled . . . . .
HIGH SCHOOL-ISSUED LAPTOP WEBCAMS USED TO SPY ON STUDENTS!
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=4547

Yeah! It's just keep on getting better all the time! Doesn't it???

http://www.salon.com/technology/dan_gil ... 9_7_30_110

Feds: No crime spying on kids via webcams
District loaned laptops to students, then used spyware to take pictures of them. Prosecutors: No "criminal intent"
Wednesday, Aug 18, 2010 17:01 ET
By Dan Gillmor



Federal prosecutors are showing uncommon sympathy for some Pennsylvania school officials who spied on students via webcams in their school-owned laptop computers: They've decided not to prosecute.

The reason? "For the government to prosecute a criminal case, it must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the person charged acted with criminal intent," the U.S. Attorney's office said in a statement. "We have not found evidence that would establish beyond a reasonable doubt that anyone involved had criminal intent." Let's leave aside the fact that people are charged all the time for criminal offenses despite having no idea they're committing crimes. And since when did ignorance of the law confer immunity?

Let's focus instead on the fundamental creepiness in what happened at the Lower Merion School District in suburban Philadelphia. A lot of the facts and fuller context in this privacy debacle remain murky. Let's hope that the discovery process in the several civil suits results in a more complete disclosure, but we do know this:

The district loaned laptop computers to students and then, under a program the district said was aimed at recovering lost or stolen machines, used spyware to capture tens of thousands of images of kids. Some of those images, it emerged in civil suits filed against the officials, were taken in students' homes -- and some of those in their bedrooms. Oh, just a terrible mistake, said the district.

Some 38,000 images from six computers alone, not to mention video chats and IMs in at least one case? If this is an oversight, a mere mistake, yike. But if so, the people who were that sloppy shouldn't be trusted to teach elementary arithmetic or anything else. There's apparently no state law against this kind of thing. That's outrageous by itself. And while the feds have concluded that they can't pursue criminal charges, no one should even consider letting the school district off the hook in any moral way for its reprehensible behavior.

The case also reminds us that civil lawsuits play a vital role in our society. Yes, some plaintiffs' lawyers launch meritless lawsuits and cause wide harm. But sometimes, as in this case, they are the last line of defense when powerful institutions beat up on individuals. We forget that at our peril.

I seriously doubt that the spying on students in their own bedrooms was unintentional or accidental. Not when you consider that 38,000 images were taken of the students from six computers alone!

NO FUCKING WAY!

The spying on the students had to be deliberate and I imagine that all the pedophile members of the school board slobbered and drooled and creamed their britches while oogeling images of kids getting undressed in their own bedrooms!

Anybody who believes that the spying was unintentional or accidental would have to be a fucking retard and a brain-dead moron!

It appears that the school board members got off with just a slap on the wrist, when what they really needed was a good swift kick to the balls!

Oh! You can't teach evolution in the science classes anymore. No, you have to teach creationist fairy tales and you get to look at images of kids getting undressed in their own bedrooms and jack off while reading your Bibles in preparation for the next day's lessons in creationism!

WAY TO GO!!! DON'T YA JUST LOVE IT!!!

Also . . . . .

In the USA, children under the age of 18 have virtually no rights!

Yeah, the ACLU, the so-called American Civil Liberties Union, has been working with NAMBLA, the North American Man/Boy Love Association to have the age of consent laws lowered and eventually repealed, so that rich old men who smell bad can have butt-sex with babies!

But kids under 18 will still have no rights, except the right to be raped like adults 18 and over!

Sorry kids! You're not old enough to vote, but you're old enough to get butt-fucked!

Ah yes! God bless America!

Don't ya just love it!!!

FUCK THIS BULLSHIT!

I'M OUTTA HERE!

[The Imperialist]

Well, my belief is that this 'spying' is perfectly justifyable, as long as it has no sexual reasons whatsoever, and it was done in the interest of keeping society safer. If not, then I will be willing to go vigilante. But it has to be proved beyond doubt that these teacher had pedophilic tendencies, and desires in which to do so.

[Fat Man]

Well, my belief is that this 'spying' is perfectly justifyable, as long as it has no sexual reasons whatsoever, and it was done in the interest of keeping society safer. If not, then I will be willing to go vigilante. But it has to be proved beyond doubt that these teacher had pedophilic tendencies, and desires in which to do so.

No, there is no justifiable reason for spying on kids in the privacy of their own homes.

Originally, the remote web cam on a computer was to be remotely activated ONLY in the event that a school issued lap top computer was reported missing or stolen. Then, and ONLY then!!!

Spying on kids after they're home from school, I fail to see how that keeps society safer.

FUCK SOCIETY!

American society is a very dangerous place!

I should know, because when I was in the 5th grade, I was harassed and humiliated in the gymnasium because I was lousy at sports, and I got my head bashed against a brick wall by a teacher who didn't want me reading Astronomy books!

We don't need to spy on children in their own homes to keep society safe!

If you actually believe that, then your Fascist fuck-tard!

Sorry to have to say this Imperialist but . . . . .

FUCK YOU!!!

Sorry, but you just made an enemy on these forums!

Namely, THE FAT MAN!!!

I AM FAT MAN!!!



I AM DA BOMB!!

[Safety]

Spying on kids during school doesn't sound that bad, but at home is unnecessary.

[Fat Man]

Spying on kids during school doesn't sound that bad, but at home is unnecessary.

Yes, once the kids are at home, then the school had no damn fucking business spying on them.

But it has to be proved beyond doubt that these teacher had pedophilic tendencies, and desires in which to do so.

Come on man!!!

We're talking about 38,000 images of kids in their own bedrooms on just six computers!

Pedophilia has to be involved!

You really are a fuck-tard!

[i_like_1981]

Personally I do not at all like the sound of adults in the school authorities using video cameras to record kids at all, really. CCTV is fine to ensure that crimes committed within the school can be traced and solved easier with video evidence, like vandalism or even arson (the former of which was often committed around my old high school which did not have an effective CCTV system to help combat this problem) but spying on the kids individually is too invasive to be allowed. And as for recording their actions outside of school... the schools really have no right to be involving themselves in what the kids do in their own time. When the school day is over or not yet started, the school should have absolutely no authority over their students whatsoever. That should be the responsibility of parents or, in more serious cases, local police. And yes, Fat Man, I agree. The school having 38,000 images of kids outside of school is definitely good cause for suspicion.

Best regards,
i_like_1981

[Fat Man]

And yes, Fat Man, I agree. The school having 38,000 images of kids outside of school is definitely good cause for suspicion.

Best regards,
i_like_1981

Thank you!!!

[HugeFanOfBadReligion]

I wouldn't advise putting cameras on laptops to track it down if it is stolen, a GPS would suffice if they needed to, but I wouldn't be outraged by the fact that they placed it there. But the fact that they took pictures when the laptops weren't even stolen, especially the amount that they did, then that's just taking it way too far and it definitely makes me suspicious of paedophilia. That's what's wrong with the legal system, they won't even bother attempting to prosecute someone if they have any slight reason to believe that they may not be successful. I'd hate to quote a movie, but to quote (or at least paraphrase) the movie Law Abiding Citizen (I believe that's what it was called) "It's not what you know, it's what you can prove in court". It's sad really.

[i_like_1981]

I wouldn't advise putting cameras on laptops to track it down if it is stolen, a GPS would suffice if they needed to, but I wouldn't be outraged by the fact that they placed it there.

Yes, HugeFanOfBadReligion. That's definitely what is needed - a GPS. They'll be able to track down their precious laptop should it be stolen and there won't be any suspicions from parents or students of invasion of privacy. And I'm sure it would be cheaper and simpler to have a GPS system built inside the laptop than to install cameras in each and every one of them. Well, I'm not sure how much the technology costs for a GPS compared to a camera but still, it's a good point you raise. And the fact there are young students involved in this whole issue is adding to my overall suspicion. Why do the school feel the need to keep an eye on everything their students do even when they are off the school grounds? The school authorities should remember that there is a time and place when their supervision is necessary, and that is in the school when the students are having their lessons. It's important for them to keep students in line during school hours but when school is out, they have no business involving themselves with their students' lives.

Best regards,
i_like_1981

[Fat Man]

I wouldn't advise putting cameras on laptops to track it down if it is stolen, a GPS would suffice if they needed to, but I wouldn't be outraged by the fact that they placed it there.

Yes, HugeFanOfBadReligion. That's definitely what is needed - a GPS. They'll be able to track down their precious laptop should it be stolen and there won't be any suspicions from parents or students of invasion of privacy. And I'm sure it would be cheaper and simpler to have a GPS system built inside the laptop than to install cameras in each and every one of them.

Yes, a GPS tracking system would have been much cheaper for the purpose of tracking a missing or stolen lap top, much cheaper.

But NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO0!!!

The school board members are all pedo-perves, and they were willing to invest more money so they could make their own kiddie porn and perhaps sell the images to organized crime to make more money to cover the cost of their creationist ministry to replace teaching science in our high schools.

OK! OK! I'm just being a sarcastic fat bitch!

But yeah! They just wanted web cams so they could watch kids getting undressed in their own bed rooms.

And of course, they could get a good price for the images and make more than enough money to cover the cost of the web cams.

Money has to be the motivation.

Capitalist pigs!

OINK! OINK! OINK! OINK! OINK!

[The Imperialist]

Well, call me a fascist, police state bastard, but I believe that certain amount of surveillance is needed.
Let's just say that I am not terribly liberal in some aspects of my views.

But I do agree with you FatMan here, that if the camera is installed as a precaution against losing the laptop, that is a stupid reason. GPS is fine, self-destructing is fine, but camera really isn't of the order. I am sorry to have insulted your ultra-libertarian views.

But I need to know, what do they mean by 'children' and 'kids'?
(And spying them in home, I do not agree either)