درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

Corporate surveillance and data collection have become routine in primary, secondary, and higher education. In the United States, the Fourth Amendment is the basis of privacy laws that protect citizens against unwarranted surveillance. However, businesses and governments circumvent this amendment and its associated privacy laws. Multinational corporations such as Ellucian and Anthology collect personal data through educational products such as Banner and Blackboard. Personal information under the purview of corporations includes data on religion, ethnicity, ideology, political activity, health, and sexual activity. In addition to providing a discussion of Ellucian’s data collection practices, this study discusses other businesses that trade in personal data — e.g., Google and YouTube — as well as a report on surveillance of schoolchildren published by Human Rights Watch. The purpose of this study is to shed light on corporate surveillance and data collection in schools and universities by analyzing and discussing material such as Ellucian’s privacy notice, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, and the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision, Carpenter v. United States. In addition, the political contexts of surveillance and censorship are considered. Among the findings are: (1) Surveillance and censorship work in unison; both rest on asymmetrical power relations; (2) Corporate executives and government officials have usurped the prerogative of educators; and (3) Educators are plagued by an inversion of values: the ability of students and teachers to communicate and share information is hindered by those who measure success in financial terms. Given these circumstances, educators and students are incapable of self-determination.