Question:

How does GoGuardian track personal computers and what are the privacy implications?

I am concerned about the privacy of my personal computer, a MacBook pro, that I use to attend online classes via Google Meet. My school has issued me a Chromebook with GoGuardian, a program that allows teachers to monitor and control students’ online activities. One of my teachers claimed that GoGuardian can now track my MacBook as well, even though I have not installed it on my device. I want to know if this is true, and if so, how GoGuardian works and what kind of data it can access from my personal computer. For example, can it see my chrome search history, other apps I have running, or other chrome tabs? How can I protect my privacy and prevent GoGuardian from tracking my personal computer?

Answer:

GoGuardian is an educational technology platform that provides tools and services to help schools monitor and manage student device usage. It is designed to protect student data privacy and keep schools in compliance with student-oriented privacy laws and regulations. However, some students may be concerned about the extent and scope of GoGuardian’s tracking capabilities, especially if they use their personal computers to access online learning platforms such as Google Meet.

According to GoGuardian’s Product Privacy Policy, GoGuardian only collects and processes personal information from students when it is authorized by the school, and only for the purposes of providing the services requested by the school. GoGuardian does not use personal information to market or advertise to students, parents, or anyone else, and does not sell or share personal information with third parties, except as required by law or with the school’s consent.

GoGuardian offers various products and features that may require different levels of access and permissions to student devices and data. For example, GoGuardian Admin allows schools to filter and block inappropriate or harmful content on student devices, GoGuardian Teacher allows teachers to view and control student screens and tabs during online classes, and GoGuardian Beacon allows schools to detect and alert potential suicide or self-harm risks among students. Each of these products and features may collect different types of information, such as device identifiers, IP addresses, browser type and version, operating system, web browsing history, screen activity, location data, and other metadata.

However, GoGuardian does not track or collect any information from personal computers that do not have GoGuardian installed or activated on them. GoGuardian only works on devices that are enrolled in the school’s Google Workspace domain, and that have the GoGuardian extension or app installed and enabled. Therefore, if you use your personal computer, such as a MacBook, to access online learning platforms, GoGuardian cannot track or collect any information from your device, unless you sign in with your school account and install the GoGuardian extension or app on your device.

If you do sign in with your school account and install the GoGuardian extension or app on your personal computer, you may be subject to the same level of monitoring and filtering as on your school-issued device. This means that GoGuardian may be able to see your chrome search history, other apps you have running, or other chrome tabs, depending on the settings and preferences of your school and teachers. However, GoGuardian does not have access to your files, passwords, emails, or other personal data on your device.

If you want to protect your privacy and prevent GoGuardian from tracking your personal computer, you should avoid signing in with your school account and installing the GoGuardian extension or app on your device. You should also use a different browser or a private browsing mode to access online learning platforms, and clear your browsing history and cache regularly. You should also review and understand the privacy policies and terms of service of GoGuardian, Google, and your school, and contact them if you have any questions or concerns about your privacy rights and choices..