Technology
NYC schools track bathroom time with digital hall passes
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Leaving class for a quick bathroom break now comes with a timer for many students in New York City.
A digital hall pass system called SmartPass is rolling out across public schools. It replaces the old paper pass with a digital one. Students sign out on a classroom iPad. Then the system tracks how long they are gone.
On paper, it sounds efficient. In practice, it is stirring strong reactions.
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New York City students now use SmartPass, a digital hall pass system that tracks when they leave class, where they go and how long they are gone. (Alejandra Villa Loarca/Newsday RM via Getty Images)
How the SmartPass digital hall pass works
SmartPass logs when a student leaves class and tracks how long they are out and where they go. Teachers can view that information in real time, which gives them a live snapshot of student movement during the school day. SmartPass says the system is designed to improve safety, reduce disruptions and give staff better visibility into student movement.
The system keeps a running total of time spent outside the classroom. It can also limit how many students are allowed in the hallway at once. In some cases, it can flag or block overlapping passes between students. Schools can also restrict when passes are allowed, depending on the schedule or specific rules set by staff.
Supporters say this helps reduce disruptions and keeps students accountable. They also argue it improves safety during emergencies because staff can quickly see who is out of class. However, that is only one side of the story.
Students say SmartPass feels like surveillance
Many students are not buying the “efficiency” argument. Some say the system makes them feel rushed during basic needs. Others worry about being constantly monitored.
One student described it as uncomfortable, like someone is always watching. Another said it turns something simple into a stressful countdown.
There are also reports of strict time limits. In some cases, students say teachers set very short timers for bathroom use. That can create awkward situations fast.
And then there are loopholes. Students have figured out ways to sign out under someone else’s name. That can block another student from leaving class at all.
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A digital hall pass system in New York City schools is raising questions about privacy, student trust and whether tracking tools belong in everyday school life. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
SmartPass raises growing privacy concerns
Privacy advocates are raising bigger concerns. Critics say tools like SmartPass go too far.
“Hyper invasive, error-prone AI surveillance technologies have no place in school bathrooms,” said Charlotte Pope, Equal Justice Works Fellow at the NYCLU. “Third-party surveillance products, like the electronic hall passes, put students’ sensitive, personal data at the whims of for-profit corporations, unnecessarily put even more punitive discipline into students’ lives, and add more fuel to the school-to-prison pipeline. For generations, students went to the bathroom without big brother watching just fine – the difference is that now, companies are making money off it.”
The fear is not only about today. It is about what happens to that data later. School officials say the system meets strict privacy rules. They also say schools are not required to use it. Still, critics argue that once data is collected, the risk never fully disappears.
How much NYC is spending on SmartPass
There is also a financial angle. New York City reportedly spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on SmartPass contracts in recent years. That breaks down to a few thousand dollars per school.
At the same time, the city faces major budget gaps. That raises a fair question. Should schools invest in tracking tools or focus on staffing and facilities? Students are asking that question too.
Why this conversation is not going away
Technology in schools is not new. But the level of tracking is changing. What used to be a simple hall pass is now a data point. Multiply that across a school day, and you start to see a pattern forming.
Some people see that as progress. Others see it as overreach. Either way, tools like SmartPass are likely just the beginning.
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SmartPass is rolling out in New York City public schools, replacing paper hall passes with a digital system that logs student movement in real time. (Deb Cohn-Orbach/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
What this means to you
Even if you are not a student in New York, this trend still matters. Digital monitoring tools are becoming part of everyday life. You can now find them in schools, workplaces and public spaces.
As a result, data collection is starting to feel normal in places where it never used to exist. Even simple systems can build detailed profiles over time. That information can reveal patterns about behavior without people realizing it.
At the same time, convenience often comes with tradeoffs. Tools that make things easier can also reduce privacy. Once these systems are in place, they rarely stay limited. They tend to expand and track more over time.
If you have kids, it is worth asking how their school collects and stores data. If you are a student, you have a right to understand what is being tracked and why it matters.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
There is a real balance to strike here. Schools want safety and structure. Students want trust and privacy. Those goals do not always line up. SmartPass sits right in the middle of that tension. It promises control and visibility. It also raises questions about how much monitoring is too much. The bigger issue may not be this one system. It is the direction things are heading.
If tracking tools become standard in schools, where should the line be drawn between safety and personal space? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
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Google’s AI Overviews are running into an interesting problem right now. Earlier on Friday, if you searched for the term “disregard,” the AI Overview section would include a response like what you’d see from a more traditional AI chatbot instead of the typical AI summary, as spotted on X. As you can see in the image at the top of this story, I got an AI Overview response that said, “Got it. If you need anything else or have a new question later, just let me know!”
As of Friday afternoon, however, Google isn’t showing an AI Overview for the term “disregard” at all — instead, it shows a list of news stories about the issue first. Google hasn’t replied to our requests for comment. In a statement to Android Authority, a spokesperson said that “We’re aware that AI Overviews are misinterpreting some action-related queries, and we’re working on a fix, which will roll out soon.”
AI Overviews haven’t just been tripping up over the word “disregard.” When searching for “ignore,” Google’s AI Overview section showed the following message to a Verge colleague:
Message received! I’m here and ready to help. What would you like to focus on today? Just let me know if there’s a specific topic, task, or question you’d like to explore.
When they searched “skip,” the AI Overview section said:
It looks like your message was just a test or a typo! Feel free to ask a question, share a prompt, or let me know how I can help you with your tasks today. I’m ready whenever you are!
As of Friday afternoon, Google is still showing me AI Overviews with broken responses when I search for “ignore” and “skip.”
As funny as this all is, it’s almost certainly just some kind of bug — I expect Google will fix it soon enough. Maybe Google Search itself is tired after everything that happened at Google I/O.
Updates, May 22nd: Google now isn’t showing AI Overviews for “disregard.” Also added a Google statement.
Paul Schrader attends a special screening of “Oh, Canada” at IFC Center in New York City on Dec. 5, 2024. (Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
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IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:
– Oscar-nominated filmmaker disappointed his AI girlfriend dumped him
– AI layoffs may be backfiring on companies
– Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang warns China has ‘all the chips they need’ despite US bans
BAD BREAK-UP: Dating in the digital era isn’t easy, as one Oscar-nominated filmmaker learned the hard way. Paul Schrader, the screenwriter of Martin Scorsese classics like “Taxi Driver” and “Raging Bull,” revealed in a Facebook post that he had dabbled in developing an “AI girlfriend.”
ROI MIA: A lot of workers have had the same uneasy thought lately: “Is AI coming for my job?” It is a fair question. Companies keep talking about automation, AI agents and lower costs. Some workers hear that and wonder whether their next performance review will come with a chatbot-shaped shadow in the room. However, a new Gartner study suggests the story may be more complicated. Many companies are cutting jobs while adopting AI, but those cuts are not clearly producing better returns.
‘ALL THE CHIPS THEY NEED’: In a stark warning to Washington policymakers, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang revealed that U.S. technology export bans may be triggering unintended consequences, declaring that China-backed rival Huawei is actively “flourishing in our absence.”
TOUGH CROWD: Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt was met with boos during a University of Arizona commencement speech after discussing artificial intelligence and fears the technology could reshape – or replace – parts of the workforce.
PAINFUL ERROR: Students at Glendale Community College revolted against AI when it was revealed during their graduation ceremony that the robot tasked with announcing the names of the new graduates experienced a glitch and skipped over hundreds of students who were set to hear their names as they walked across the stage.
BATTLE OF THE TITANS: A federal jury ruled against Elon Musk in his lawsuit accusing OpenAI of abandoning its nonprofit roots, finding that neither the tech company nor CEO Sam Altman could be held liable in the matter because Musk waited too long to bring the case.
NEXT-GEN WARFARE: A top U.S. defense contractor pulled back the curtain on AI-powered systems designed to hunt down and destroy swarms of enemy drones as the U.S. rapidly expands its next-generation warfighting capabilities.
‘UNSETTLING’: Standard Chartered CEO Bill Winters on Wednesday walked back comments he made at an investor event Tuesday when he said the bank plans to cut thousands of jobs as it replaces what he called “lower-value human capital” with tech powered by artificial intelligence (AI).
OPINION: There’s a revolution underway in American education, and first lady Melania Trump and the White House are leading the way, Arthur Herman and Beth Herman write.
SLOW DOWN: Waymo is temporarily halting freeway operations for its robotaxi service in several U.S. markets as the company works to address performance issues in construction zones, FOX Business has learned.
‘NOT GOING AWAY’: New York Times staffers got up from their workspaces inside the paper’s New York City headquarters on Wednesday and gathered outside to rally against management, demanding a fair contract and insisting the company puts profits over people. The event, dubbed “Rally for a Fair Contract,” came as the Times Guild is fighting for protections against artificial intelligence, guaranteed hybrid work, affordable health care, pay increases that match the rising cost of living and keeping work within the union.
SWEET MOVE: A Florida community has deployed AI-powered robotic beehives as declining bee populations continue raising concerns about the future of the US food supply.
BLOCKBUSTER DEAL: NextEra Energy is making a massive $66.8 billion bet that America’s artificial intelligence boom will drive a historic surge in electricity demand, announcing plans to acquire Dominion Energy to create the world’s largest regulated utility by market value.
BEAM ME UP: New York City’s LaGuardia Airport is bringing science fiction to the terminal with the debut of an AI-powered hologram concierge designed to help travelers find gates, lounges and baggage claim through face-to-face conversations.
DISAPPEARING ACT: Chatting with AI can feel casual until the question gets personal. Maybe you want to ask about a health concern. Maybe you need help understanding a loan. Or maybe you want career advice without feeling like your question is sitting in a data file somewhere. That is the idea behind Incognito Chat with Meta AI, a new private chat mode Meta says is coming to WhatsApp and the Meta AI app.
APP OVERHAUL: Airbnb is pushing far beyond home rentals, rolling out airport pickups, grocery delivery, luggage storage, car rentals, boutique hotels and exclusive travel experiences as it expands deeper into travel services. The app is also adding boutique and independent hotels in major cities including New York, Paris, London, Rome and Singapore, alongside new AI-powered features like review summaries, listing comparisons and smarter customer support tools.
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