When I go to school, I shouldn’t have to feel like I’m being watched every second I’m online. But that’s exactly what student monitoring software has started to feel like. Programs used by schools can track what students search, what websites they visit, what they type, and sometimes even access webcams, microphones, or location data. Instead of helping students feel safe, this kind of constant surveillance creates stress, anxiety, and a lack of trust.

Companies like GoGuardian, Linewize, and Securly market these tools as “student safety” software, but many students feel like their privacy is being taken away. According to reporting from TechCrunch, these platforms can collect large amounts of personal student data. In many cases, students are monitored not only during class, but also outside of school hours and on personal devices.

Students deserve privacy. We deserve to learn in an environment where we feel trusted, not constantly tracked. Schools absolutely should keep students safe, but there has to be a limit. Monitoring every click and online activity is not the answer.

The right to privacy is recognized internationally in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights through United Nations and UN.org. Those rights should still matter when students walk into a classroom or log into a school account.

This petition is calling on schools to rethink the use of invasive monitoring software and move toward solutions that actually respect students while still keeping schools safe. Technology should support education, not turn students into people who feel watched all the time.

Many students don’t even realize how much information these programs can collect or how long their data may be stored. There is often very little transparency about what is being monitored, who can access the information, or how it could affect students in the future. Parents and students both deserve clear answers and stronger protections when it comes to digital privacy in schools.

Creating a safe school environment should never mean sacrificing basic freedoms. Trust between students and schools is important, and excessive surveillance only damages that trust. By speaking up now, we can encourage schools to adopt policies that protect both student safety and student rights at the same time.

If you believe students deserve privacy, respect, and a healthier learning environment, please sign and share this petition.