Taking Ctrl: How College Students Can Protect Their Privacy
Using education and awareness to safeguard student’s privacy rights.
Technology in the classroom has opened endless opportunities for learning. There’s no question about that. We love having a world of information at the tips of our fingers in seconds, especially when we haven’t studied for the exam. However, there is a darker side to technology in the classroom. From universities and colleges bringing facial recognition to US campuses, requiring location tracking apps for class attendance, and even using mental health apps to evaluate student’s wellbeing, we are witnessing an abuse of student’s data privacy rights.
Fortunately, students aren’t staying silent. They’re rising up and organizing against student privacy infringements. Vice reports Abhi Dewan, a George Washington student and campus organizer, speaking on the effects of AI surveillance ”We don’t know what the psychological effects of constant surveillance could be on students and professors. If being watched 24/7, it is very possible that this could significantly suppress diversity of opinion and academic discourse.” (https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/epgnek/students-are-campaigning-to-ban-facial-recognition-from-college-campuses) The UCLA Daily Bruin editorial board outlined an argument against the use to AI on campus, writing “Orwell should stay in the bookshelves.” https://dailybruin.com/2020/01/29/editorial-implementing-facial-recognition-tech-would-be-a-violation-of-students-privacy/
As students engage in these conversations, it’s apparent education and awareness play an important role in safeguarding student’s data privacy rights.
How to Protect Your Personal Data on Campus
For students using school-owned computers in the library and logging into campus WiFi on personal laptops, you can take steps to take back control of your personal data.
- Use Startpage as your default search engine. Even if you’re using the school computer, you can visit startpage.gg and search from there to keep your search private. As an added bonus for your research projects, Startpage’s unfiltered results will break you out of your filter bubble and help you receive a wider variety of results.
- When using school computers, make sure you log out. Even if you’re stepping away to run to the restroom, log out. You don’t want someone using your school login ID to access personal data such as your search history and student profile. If you’re using your personal device, don’t leave it unattended.
- Before connecting to your campus WiFi, confirm it’s not fake. If you have to login to your school account, you don’t want to give a hacker your email and password.
Increase Awareness
Be a campus hero and speak up for data privacy. This can be as simple as encouraging your classmates to take steps towards protecting their personal data or asking your professor to consider building student data privacy into their syllabus. The latter might even score you some goodwill points with your professor.
You can also join the fight to stop facial recognition on campus. Start by checking where your school stands on facial in regards to facial recognition: https://www.banfacialrecognition.com/campus/
Of note, you can bring Startpage to your campus. We’re building a lesson plan specifically for college students. Are you a professor or student interested in having Startpage’s Private Search 101 incorporated into your curriculum? Reach out to us! We’d love for you to be a part of it. Email: [email protected]
Privacy Pro Tips:
For the Students: Research before you download. Your friends, co-workers, and even professors will suggest downloading apps. Before you give an app access to your location, photos, camera, contacts, and all the personal data your phone holds, look into how they’re going to use your personal data. Is the trade-off worth it?
For Professors: Revisit your syllabus. Before making a requirement, consider whether it will impact your students’ personal privacy. Is requiring they use certain products or devices putting their personal data in the hands of third parties? How will their data be used? Are your students aware of the potential risks of handing over their personal data?
Sources:
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