FBI Investigating Student Laptop, Candy Scandal
Apparently, the student was caught on his webcam eating Mike & Ike candies, which looked like pills.
In one of the more bizarre happenings in recent memory, the FBI has now stepped in to investigate the claim that a school has wrongfully used the ability to remotely control student webcams.
Student Blake J. Robbins is suing LowerMerionSchool District in Philadelphia allegedly remotely activating his webcam. The remote activation of his webcam was exposed when student Blake J. Robbins was disciplined for "improper behavior in his home" by the Vice Principal, who provided a photo taken by the webcam as evidence.
The school confirmed that it has the ability to control the webcams, but that the capability has since been disabled in response to the recent issue.
The AP reports that the FBI is now investigating the matter to see if LowerMerionSchool District officials broke any federal wiretap or computer-intrusion laws.
Also revealed in the story is that LowerMerion issued an Apple laptop to each of its 2,300 students. Supposedly only two employees in the technology department were authorized to activate the cameras in the event of a missing laptop. The remote activation is only supposed to capture images, but not sound.
Now things are about to get even more bizarre. Robbins' attorney said on camera that the boy was caught on the webcam handling Mike & Ike candies, which could be mistaken for illegal pills.
We have a feeling that this is far from over.
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"Take the blue pill to see just how far the rabbit trail goes...and the red one, and the green one, and the yellow one and the blue one again."
wow... This just keeps getting more bizarre and ridiculous. I can't help but feel like someone from that school is gonna get fired.
This would never have happened if they gave the children Windows based systems.
As American public schools are federally funded entities, wouldn't this qualify as the government spying on its citizenry?
Wow is right... I'd be shocked if nobody gets fired here... There are so many BETTER ways to prevent laptop theft, how could anyone have thought this was a good idea?
wow... This just keeps getting more bizarre and ridiculous. I can't help but feel like someone from that school is gonna get fired.
Not just fired, but escorted to his/her new federally funded vacation home.
Prison is a pain in the ass, and they deserve every bit of it.
Wait, wait. School officials are disciplining children for what they do at HOME?
I bet you the camera caught him swallowing the "candies" whole rather than chewing.
"Take the blue pill to see just how far the rabbit trail goes..."
Fail movie quote: Neo ate the red pill.
the solution is so simple
put a piece of electrical tape over the lens whenever you are not using it
I'd like to know what sort of illegal pills look like Mike & Ike candies. And furthermore, how could they establish he was eating pills (note the plural), or swallowing them when its a supposedly a single still picture?
Good thing he wasn't sucking down a big, fat chocolate bar at the time...
i miss the old days ... when it was the students that had full control of the schools network ....(sub7even, netbus) ..... good times
I find the whole thing nauseating. What the heck is a school official disciplining a child for after school home activities in the first place? In all of these articles and interviews, no one has mentioned that that is its self is highly illegal. The moron who decided to watch and pursue a kid in his home has much bigger issues and apparently there was no "thought the laptop was stolen" lie if the original disciplinary action was for "improper Behavior" at home instead of "You stole our laptop". It is obvious he was being watched after school hours off of school campus. This begs the question, how many other children has the school been watching non-pursuant to their "Only for a stolen laptop" cover-up?
Look like the media is turning a simple rain into a storm.
I'd like to know what sort of illegal pills look like Mike & Ike candies. And furthermore, how could they establish he was eating pills (note the plural), or swallowing them when its a supposedly a single still picture?
They probably been watching him for a while. He probably sells pills to other kids and they thought they'd stop him, or it was actually Mike&Ikes. Either way it was stupid as hell to think that spying on him was not going to cause this whole fiasco.
Lower Merion School District v Mike and Ikes
This would never have happened if they gave the children Windows based systems.
True, instead of just the school, EVERYONE would be able to watch these kids eat candy...these kids and their damn sweet toothes...
Look like the media is turning a simple rain into a storm.
Perhaps, but how many other students have been watched whilst they were getting changed or undressing before taking a shower?
the solution is so simpleput a piece of electrical tape over the lens whenever you are not using it
Nope, sorry. Won't work. These are Macbooks, remember? Big black electrical tape would look right at home on a Dell Latitude E6400, but to mar the beauty of a crystal white Mac? Heaven forbid...
HOLY CRAP I CAN'T SAY THAT WITH A STRAIGHT FACE!!! LOLOL
BTW, activating the webcam while the student is at home = ILLEGAL in my book. Invasion of privacy FTL. Do not want.
Did I not read somewhere that this laptop had not been paid for.
There fore they used their method of theft recover which is to turn on the cam and snap a picture to try and catch a thief.
I don't support them or think what was done is right and I also agree the pervs were likely looking for naked schoolgirls, I have no trust in people... lol But they might have a defense if this guy didn't pay and they were reposing the unit.
invasion of privacy. what if someone was changing his/her clothes at that time? this is not good
Wow blatant spying on children and a waste of tax dollars for apple laptops. Of course knowing the government they probably payed 10,000 dollars apiece for 5 year old macbooks
This is one reason why I have ALWAYS distrusted schools and this should be a reminder to people especially parents about the Trojan horse concept. I bet my bottom Federal Reserve note that these laptops were used to spy on children for sexual reasons by school staff that had access.
Rofl... This is so bad. There has clearly been dishonesty.
The administration has created a pay-site for select faculty to view live video and galleries of the school students.
Mike & Ikes are pretty hardcore
I'd like to know what sort of illegal pills look like Mike & Ike candies. And furthermore, how could they establish he was eating pills (note the plural), or swallowing them when its a supposedly a single still picture?
Your right, it sure sounds like VIDEO to me. Some one better do some jail time over this if it was VIDEO.
The only way this could have been worse is if the student had been female.
killersmurf, from the original story - laptops provided by school, student disciplined for "inappropriate behavior", nothing about theft.
Omfg, who was the IDIOT who saw this kid "popping pills", and decided that they needed to DISCIPLINE this child for "illegal activity"? The only illegal activity here was spying on the kid in the first place! Nevertheless, it it a true testament to the administration's idiocy that they decided to use the photo as evidence, when they should have known that parents and the mf'n FBI would be all over their nuts once news got out about their ability to spy on students.
Well... was that laptop a stolen or lost laptop? Was that what the student was accused for?
If not, the school offical is using the remote function beyon what it is supposed to be.
Unless it was handled by the police officers... it should not be tolerated
Far as I'm concerned the kid got what he deserved and the school should not be sued. Why? Because the laptop the kid was using was given out by the school! They have every right to do whatever the hell they want with school property. If you don't want the school to snoop on you at home, then don't take the damn handout! You take federal handouts, this is the price you pay: you lose your privacy, your security, your freedom. Let this be a lesson to all those nitwits who love taking government handouts, be they federal or state. Think twice about what you give up in return!