Author name: Amelia Vance

Part II: Privacy and Equity Concerns 4. What harms, such as stigma or discrimination, may stem from sharing of students’ information or flagged status? Using self-harm monitoring systems raises potential risks of stigma or discrimination. Biases embedded in public perception and media lead to exaggerated fears that students experiencing mental health challenges are prone to violent acts,65 even though most people with mental health needs have no propensity for violence.66 As a result of such biases, school staff may treat flagged students differently from their peers or subject them to additional scrutiny. The common but false assumption that flagged students […]

Part II: Privacy and Equity Concerns Privacy and Equity Concerns Raised by Self-Harm Monitoring Technology Before adopting self-harm monitoring technology, schools and districts should understand the risks self-harm monitoring technology can pose to students’ privacy and safety and carefully weigh those risks against any benefits. Schools have widely and rapidly adopted self-harm monitoring technologies, despite the fact that they are relatively new and unstudied.49 Over the past two years, adoption increased as concerns grew about students struggling with mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.50 These facts raise important questions about the privacy risks and implications of monitoring that schools must

Part I: Background What Is Self-Harm Monitoring Technology and How Do Schools Use It? Schools often adopt self-harm monitoring technology with the best intentions: to help keep students safe and improve their well-being. However, if implemented without due consideration to the significant privacy and equity risks posed to students, these programs may harm the very students that need the most support or protection, while ineffectively fulfilling their intended purpose of preventing self-harm. Before adopting self-harm monitoring technology, schools and districts should understand the risks self-harm monitoring technology can pose to students’ privacy and safety, take thoughtful steps to mitigate those