Clare Edwards examines the privacy implications of the eSafe service and what schools should be aware of if employing this technology
An increasing number of schools are taking steps to monitor the online activity of their pupils and staff, both inside and outside of school premises and hours. Reportedly, up to 700,000 children, students, and teaching staff could be affected by monitoring undertaken by a company called eSafe.
eSafe is contracted by schools to boost safeguarding provisions and uses what it calls ‘advanced detection software’ and ‘expert interpretation and assessment’ to monitor electronic devices for safeguarding risks, such as ‘grooming, paedophile activity, child abuse and sexualisation, FGM, HBT, racism, bullying and harassment, s...