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School seeking access to personal devices sparks outrage online: “Hard no”
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Members of a popular online forum were eager to speak out after one student revealed how their school is gaining access to personal devices.
In a viral Reddit post published on r/mildlyinfuriating, Redditor u/DevontePlayz (otherwise referred to as the original poster, or OP) shared a screenshot of a message they received from the academic institution, requesting they create a new profile on their cell phone in order to use Google‘s classroom software.
“Installing this profile will allow the administrator…to remotely manage your iPhone,” the message reads.
“The administrator may collect personal data, add/remove accounts and restrictions, install, manage, and list apps, and remotely erase data on your iPhone,” it continues.
Captioned, “My school wants us to allow this on our personal devices, just to use Google Classroom,” the post has received nearly 60,000 upvotes and 4,000 comments since October 19.
Long used as a tool for virtually connected office workers and other digital employees, mobile device management software raises privacy concerns and questions about the availability of designated workplace devices.
Employees, or students in the case of the original poster, are often forced to use personal devices to complete work or academic tasks.
And when those same employees and students are forced to download work profiles, or mobile device management softwares, the security of personal data is put into jeopardy.
“Some [mobile device management] allows an IT department almost full control over the device,” Jason Hong, associate professor at Carnegie Mellon University’s Security and Privacy Institute, told Newsweek.
“A corporation could use [mobile device management] to keep all of their software up to date, ensure proper usage of devices, and remote wipe a device if it is lost or stolen,” Hong added.
In 2019, a string of firings at Google—involving improperly deleted files and alleged invasions of privacy—prompted a Fast Company article bluntly titled, “If you use your personal phone for work, say goodbye to your privacy.”
Along with details of the firings, author Sean Captain included one piece of poignant advice for employees faced with the prospect of using their personal device for work tasks.
“If a company says you have to be online, they should provide the gear to do it,” Captain wrote. “Annoying as it is to lug two gadgets around, the annoyance (and danger) of surrendering your own device to corporate control is a lot worse.”
The same goes for students.
Despite the existence of minimally invasive mobile device management software, the cleanest way to separate personal and professional data is to use separate devices.
“The main advice I would have is…to clarify what [mobile device management] software is being used, what personal data can be potentially accessed, and under what circumstances,” Hong said.
“An alternative is that individual students might ask the school to provide a device, instead of using their own,” he added.
Kar-Tr/iStock / Getty Images Plus
Throughout the comment section of the viral Reddit post, many Redditors echoed that sentiment—some more eloquently than others.
“Ask them to give you a school phone,” Redditor u/Shadskill wrote in the post’s top comment, which has received more than 14,500 upvotes.
“This is the answer,” Redditor u/GingerMau agreed, receiving nearly 10,000 upvotes.
“If they want you to allow something that gives them COMPLETE CONTROL over your device, tell them to provide the device,” they added. “Student or employee…we still have the right to privacy.”
Redditor u/TheLoneleyPython, whose comment has received more than 9,000 upvotes, took a different approach.
“The words ‘f**k right off’ come to mind!” they wrote.
“That would be a hard ‘no’ from me,” Redditor u/Forsaken_Site1449 added, receiving more than 8,500 upvotes.
“I won’t install work email natively on my phone because they want the same permissions,” Redditor u/TrashFireSquad chimed in. “They can either call me or wait until I’m at my desk.”
Newsweek has reached out to u/DevontePlayz for comment.
Have you had a similar school or workplace dilemma? Let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
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