Increase in online learning brings more security and fraud issues
Sarah Taddeo – New York State Team USA TODAY NETWORK – in the D&C on 9/21/2020 on page A5
The COVID-19 pandemic pushed most school districts to take a deeper dive into remote learning, resulting in millions of children doing schoolwork online and leading to questions around internet security.
Several districts across New York, including its Big 5 that includes Rochester and New York City, started or plan to start the school year in a completely online environment. Many will continue with a “hybrid” inperson and online model into the rest of the year.
Some encountered security difficulties immediately; a New York City mom reported Wednesday that the her daughter’s first remote orientation meeting was disrupted by users streaming pornography and posting photos of President Donald Trump, according to NBC New York. The matter is being investigated by school officials. With an elevated online student presence comes a heightened probability of internet security and fraud issues for families, the state’s Department of Consumer Protection said Thursday.