Rachel Monahan reports that the New York Daily News uncovered some really nasty spying in the NYC schools:
School principals-turned-Inspector Gadgets had their online spy-gear store shuttered after the Daily News exposed their link to the sleuthing market.
The city Education Department pulled the plug on its website portal to an I-Spy-type arsenal where principals browsed for hidden cameras to trick out their halls.
Among the 45 undercover devices The News found listed on the site, were:
- A fluffy teddy bear with a built-in camera.
- A mini-cam fitted electric pencil sharpener.
- Neckties that double as spy-ties.
After inquiries from The News, the city pulled the spy gear down from its site and the New York Civil Liberties Union blasted the the online bazaar as Big Brother Gone Wild.
[…]
City Education Department spokeswoman Deidrea Miller said the agency has asked the special commissioner for investigation to look into the spying.
“Purchasing hidden cameras would not be an appropriate use of school funds,” she said. “We are aware of an allegation that one school is using a device.”
Read more in the Daily News.
Wait a minute. They’re asking for an investigation into the spying. Wasn’t this their own web site portal?
I expect we’ll see more on this story as we do not yet know whether any images were stored, who was viewing them, etc.
h/t @privacyesq