Lightspeed Artificial Intelligence — the new internet modification added to Miami Palmetto Senior High School. Based in Austin, Texas, the software company manufactures and markets mobile device management, alert software and classroom management software to K–12 schools. It is a monitor set in place to ensure students are not doing anything dangerous or inappropriate on their phones while on Dadeschools’ WiFi. Schools are enforcing this in order to be more cautious about students talking about committing physical and online threats.

Yes: Sophia Snyder

This new addition to the school’s security is a major invasion of privacy. Students should not have to worry when texting their parents or friends that this form of AI is going to pick up their words and make it seem like a security risk.

While Lightspeed does not pick up on texts such as “I want to go home early,” it has access to all messages to find those keywords. Therefore, even though it may not necessarily do anything with those irrelevant messages, Lightspeed’s access to that data invades student privacy.

Another case of privacy invasion is unnecessary web scanning. Lightspeed can see which websites are being used to make sure they are all school-appropriate. While this might be beneficial to ensuring that students are not trying to harm themselves or cheat on exams, this is a major invasion of students’ website privacy. There is no need for students to be worried that what they are searching up during their time in school is going to be seen by administration. 

In some cases, students might need to search something up with permission from a teacher, or if they need to find the answer to something while texting their parents. No matter what the search is, there is no reason that it needs to be sent to administration.

While Safari and other websites do track what one searches online, they are not sending it to anyone and it is only used for the personal gain of going back to past websites or seeing what one has searched in the past. 

No: Adi Greenberg

Lightspeed software does not pick up on harmless texts and only picks up on data that the AI may deem a security risk. 

Lightspeed systems are legal and their artificial intelligence systems comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, to ensure the online safety of children. COPPA protects the privacy of children under 13 by regulating how websites and online services can collect and utilize their personal information.

First, student accounts are only monitored when they are connected to Dadeschools WiFi, so if students need to text something private to their parent or guardian, they can turn their WiFi off. After that, they are able to send the text to their parents without Lightspeed picking up on it. This system was placed in all Miami-Dade County schools, alongside new mandates and stricter filters on the school system’s internet.

Additionally, Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ priority is to “Give their students the world;”  therefore, their main goal is maintaining the safety of their students. Lightspeed’s mission is to ensure the safety of students by detecting harmful texts and messages, and will not pick up on something as simple as a text saying, “I want to go home early.” Lightspeed is not an invasion of privacy, it is a safety measure put in place to protect the school and everybody in it. It is not designed to go through everyone’s information as some might think, but it is designed to target potentially harmful messages and emails.

Students should feel safe under the surveillance of the Lightspeed system. Lightspeed does not collect any personal information, and it is a critical tool in student safety and the prevention of cyberbullying, suicide and violence. With Lightspeed Alert, student activity across the web is monitored, interpreted and flagged when concerning activity is detected. In addition, student data only transfers through their online storage; Lightspeed databases are completely encrypted.

If a student is truly concerned about the use of Lightspeed invading their privacy, they can turn off their school WiFi and continue texting without a care. Regardless, students’ text conversations are not being heavily monitored, and students will remain safe even if they are on school WiFi.