Safety Issues
Overview CSF Guidelines for Safe Use of Images in Schools Information about Children Information about Adults Information about the School Data Protection Webcams Issues with Images (including Examples)
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Webcams

What is a Webcam?

A Webcam is (typically) a small camera connected to the Internet. The Webcam is normally connected to the Internet through a host PC and takes pictures at regular intervals, which are then uploaded onto a web site on the Internet. These pictures are often archived so that it is possible to view (for example) what happened in front of the webcam at three o'clock in the morning.

Our advice is that it is inadvisable for schools to use a webcam on school premises when that webcam covers an area in which pupils or staff may be seen on the school's web site. If you are considering using a webcam on your school web site please read all of this page to get an idea of the issues raised by installing a webcam in your school.

What is needed?

1. A webcam
2. A PC to which the webcam can be connected
3. A connection to the Internet
4. A web site to host the picture(s) on

Technical Questions - the 'How?'

For LEA schools in Hertfordshire, the machine the webcam is connected to should have Internet access through the Hertfordshire Grid for Learning, i.e. it should not be standalone or connected to the Internet in any other way. It needs HGfL access to be able to upload to the school's web page, almost certainly via FTP.

The webcam will take or 'capture' the image, send it to the computer it is connected to and save it as a file (which might be named 'latestpic.jpg' or something similar). This machine has to then upload latestpic.jpg to the web site. It may place it in an existing web page, or it may create a dynamic web page which automatically updates itself - most webcams come with a piece of software to allow this to happen.

If you want 24 hour, 7 days a week coverage using your webcam, this computer should always be on. It should have a reliable power supply - i.e. no-one should wander in and switch everything off when it's time to go home. This machine should probably be secure in someway so that other people cannot sit at it and gain access to the images on your web site through the camera's FTP software, which although it may be very simple, may give them some access to your web site).

Philosophical Questions - the 'Why?' (or 'Why Not?')

A major question is "why do you want a web cam?" The answer might be obvious ("Because we want to show people part of our school on a 'real-time' basis") but there are a number of issues you need to think about before you place it...

Does your school need a webcam?

It is unlikely that a webcam could ever realistically be used as a security device. To avoid the camera one would simply need to visit the web site, see where the camera covered, and avoid that location. Conversely webcams that are used to show what is happening on websites may only serve to show would-be thieves when the buildings are unoccupied.

Where will it be placed?

It is somewhere which is worth relaying live to the rest of the world? Is it somewhere 'sensitive'? If you choose to place the webcam overlooking your ICT suite, then you need to be able to guarantee that there will never be a picture taken of a child for whom you do not have parental consent for photography/filming. You will then be faced with the decision between excluding these children from the ICT suite or otherwise ensuring that the camera is turned off every time any such child enters the area.

This webcam image was downloaded from a school web site - it has been shrunk and blurred but in its original state individuals can be identified

Because the capture image -> save as file -> upload to web site -> display on web site process is normally automated with a webcam, you need to ensure that those children are never seen in the 'capture image' stage otherwise the picture will shortly be on your school web site.

Notification & Legislation

You would need to notify people that they are entering an area that is filmed by a webcam (in the same way as currently happens with CCTV.

There are other issues - if an incident occurred within view of the webcam would anyone such as the police or other authorities request images from the webcam or could they be used in legal proceedings? The answers to these are unclear, but there are a host of potential issues

It is likely that the school will need to address the following issues and head teachers should ensure that they have the agreement of the governing body to any decision that is taken.

• Where will the camera be placed?
• Do we know which parents/carers do not want their child's picture on the web site?
• Do we know of any members of staff who do not want their picture on the web site?
• Can the school guarantee that someone within either of the two categories above will never be in view of the webcam?
• Are there any security issues (people from outside seeing when the school is empty)?
• Are there any privacy issues?

Unless the school can guarantee safe answers to all of these questions then we would recommend that you do not use a webcam on your school web site.

When could a webcam be used?

There are a number of situations in which a webcam could be safely used:

• where images from the webcam are sent to the school intranet or a number of machines within the school
• where the scene in view of the webcam is such that it does not raise any of the issues listed above. Such scenes might be:
  • an experiment underway
  • observation of an aspect of the school which can be used in lessons ("What do the school's resident slow worm / stick insects do at night?")
• while videoconferencing with another school or institution

Summary

• If you have decided that your school needs a webcam, think about where it's going to be placed - e.g. do you want to advertise which parts of your school are empty for burglars?
• Make sure you have consent from parents/carers
• Make sure that you have signs telling people that they are entering an era where they are likely to be filmed.

If you require further assistance regarding webcams, you should contact the HGfL Team.