An Australian school has been criticised by parents and privacy experts alike for installing fingerprint scanners on its toilets.
The measure tracks pupils' bathroom usage throughout the day and is intended to stop 'vandalism'—such as students chucking 'poo on the ceiling'.
Moorebank High School in southwest Sydney introduced the system in June, and more than 1000 students have since registered their fingerprints to use the loo during class time.
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The measure has been called 'extreme' and a 'privacy violation', but the local Department of Education has insisted the system is not compulsory. Meanwhile, the school headteacher has pointed out that the system does not record a fingerprint.
A spokesperson for the department said: "If students or parents prefer, students can also access the toilets during those times by obtaining an access card from the office.
"All parents were notified… via school newsletters and the minutes of community focus group meetings were also emailed to all parents."
One Year 11 student said that the toilets were regularly 'smeared' in faeces and put him off using them.
"Often there's been cases where people have thrown their poo on the ceiling. It happens a few times a year at least. It's quite disgusting."
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However, not all parents are happy. One told the Herald Sun: "There was only that tiny paragraph in the newsletter, no notes sent home, no email, only a focus group no one knew about… it wasn't communicated properly by the school, there's a real lack of transparency."
"It just feels a little extreme and concerning with the level of surveillance and data being collected about our children."
Cybersecurity expert Alana Maurushat told ABC News: "For me, this is a privacy violation, poses a cybersecurity risk of stolen biometric data, and a potential physical security risk for the students.
"I would deeply encourage the school to reconsider this measure, and any students with concerns to lodge a complaint to the Privacy Commissioner."
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