Global online monitoring program that tracks web searches to be trialled in NSW schools
A RADICAL Big Brother-style program that tracks web searches involving explicit images, suicidal thoughts, bullying and terrorist or gang propaganda on school computers will be trialled in some independent NSW schools.
NSW
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EVERY single thing students do on a school computer will be monitored by a new Big Brother-style program that tracks web searches involving explicit images, suicidal thoughts, bullying and terrorist or gang propaganda.
The radical program can even alert a parent or teacher if a pupil writes a paragraph in a document indicating they’re at risk of harm — but never sends it to anyone or posts it online.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal the eSafe Global monitoring technology is set to be trialled in some independent NSW schools later this year.
The service is currently monitoring about 750,000 students in the UK and 9000 in Perth.
The software runs on school computers and can even monitor student’s mobile phones.
Students are aware they are being monitored and parents and schools must consent.
The software monitors words and images on a device for subtle “threat markers” indicating behaviour such as bullying, depression, pornography or child abuse.
The software scans everything a student does including on social media, internet searches, typing documents and even USBs plugged into the computer.
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Once the software detects a threat the information is captured and sent to experts, based in the UK, who assess the data and send a report to the school if the threat seems legitimate.
Teachers then identify the student from the login and device used and escalate the concern to parents and police as required.
Discussions on implementing eSafe Global have begun between state and private school principals and 3rd Degree Consulting’s Chris Miller who has met with the office of the eSafety Commissioner.
“It’s been presented to almost every private high school over the past 18 months. We’ve had a lot of interest,” Mr Miller said. “Some schools want it 24/7 — they want to protect their kids when they’re away from school because cyber bullying doesn’t stop.”
Data from 35,000 English students monitored for two years to July 2016 by eSafe Global detected dramatic increases in bullying incidents which jumped by 64 per cent while porn increased by 329 per cent, depression by 444 per cent and sexting by 99 per cent.
Family and friends farewell Dolly
Mr Miller said about six independent schools will trial the software later this year.
“It’s nowhere near as Big Brother as it initially seems,” he said. “It’s not about catching kids doing something wrong, it’s about catching kids before they do something wrong to themselves or before somebody does something wrong to them.”
eSafe Global managing director Mark Donkersley told a parliamentary inquiry into youth suicide in NSW on Monday that mental health, porn and drugs were the leading problems detected in Perth.
“Nearly all the behaviours that we detect can lead to mental health problems,” he said.
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