Chinese school buys its pupils tracking bracelets – then vows to consult them after online backlash
- Privacy concerns raised over Guangdong Guangya High School’s purchase of 3,500 electronic bracelets that can track location and behaviour in class
- It insists it wants ‘relaxed environment’ for pupils and is still deciding how to use the devices
Controversy over a southern Chinese school’s plan to put smart wearables on students that can monitor their movements has forced it to delay introducing the devices and promise further consultations with students and parents.
Guangdong Guangya High School in Guangzhou, which in September bought 3,500 electronic bracelets that can track users’ location and how they perform in class, said on Tuesday night they would be used only to record class attendance and exercise at school.
A top public school known for its relatively free environment, Guangya has come under fire since the purchase of the bracelets became public knowledge through social media on Tuesday.
The bracelet is among a wide range of electronic devices and systems the school has bought to digitalise its campus. It is able not only to monitor a user’s location, exercise and sleep, but also to record how many times they raise their hand in class, according to a document published by the Guangzhou city government.
By asking pupils to wear the bracelets, the school said it was trying to help them to access curriculum information, pay at the school canteen and borrow books from the library, as well as track their physical condition during exercise sessions and record class attendance.