School-Based Online Surveillance of Youth: A Systematic Analysis

Strategic Insights -

A new study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research has shed light on the school-based online surveillance industry, revealing that students are being monitored extensively beyond school hours and on school-provided devices. The research, conducted by the University of California San Diego (UCSD), identified 14 companies that provide social media monitoring, student communications monitoring, or online monitoring services to schools. The study found that most companies facilitate access to students' digital behavior, with 86% of companies reporting monitoring 24/7 outside of school and 7% reporting monitoring at specified locations outside of school.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study identified 14 school-based online surveillance companies, with most facilitating access to students' digital behavior beyond school hours.
  • 86% of companies reported conducting monitoring 24/7 outside of school, while 7% reported monitoring at specified locations outside of school.
  • Almost all companies used artificial intelligence to conduct automated flagging of student activity, with 71% (10/14) of companies using this method.
  • Less than half of the companies (6/14, 43%) reported having a secondary human review team, while 14% (2/14) reported providing crisis responses via company staff, including contacting law enforcement at their discretion.
  • Historically marginalized students may be at a higher risk of being flagged due to algorithmic bias.
  • The study highlights the need for increased oversight by policymakers of the school-based online surveillance industry.

Statistics:

  • 14 school-based online surveillance companies were identified in the study.
  • 86% (12/14) of companies reported conducting monitoring 24/7 outside of school.
  • 71% (10/14) of companies used artificial intelligence to conduct automated flagging of student activity.
  • 43% (6/14) of companies reported having a secondary human review team.

Sources:

  • School-Based Online Surveillance of Youth: Systematic Search and Content Analysis of Surveillance Company Websites. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2025;27.
  • University of California San Diego (UCSD) Reports Findings in Medical Internet Research (School-Based Online Surveillance of Youth: Systematic Search and Content Analysis of Surveillance Company Websites). Education Letter. July 23, 2025; p 631.