(CNN) — Pennsylvania parents are suing their son’s school, alleging it watched him through his laptop’s webcam while he was at home and unaware he was being observed.

Michael and Holly Robbins of Penn Valley are suing the Lower Merion School District, its board of directors and the superintendent. The parents allege the district unlawfully used its ability to access a webcam remotely on their son’s district-issued laptop computer.

The lawsuit seeking class-action status was filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

The suit said that on November 11, an assistant principal at Harriton High School told the plaintiffs’ son that he was caught engaging in “improper behavior” in his home and it was captured in an image via the webcam.

According to the Robbinses’ complaint, neither they nor their son, Blake, were informed of the school’s ability to access the webcam remotely at any time. It is unclear what the boy was doing in his room when the webcam was activated or if any punishment was given out.

Doug Young, a spokesman for the Lower Merion School District, said the district would only remotely access a laptop if it were reported to be lost, stolen or missing.

Young said if there were such a report, the district first would have to request access from its technology and security department and receive authorization. Then it would use the built-in security feature to take over the laptop and see whatever was in the webcam’s field of vision, potentially allowing it to track down the missing computer.

Young said parents and students were not explicitly told about this built-in security feature.

To receive the laptop, the family had to sign an “acceptable-use” agreement. To take the laptop home, the family also would have to buy insurance for the computer.

In an “acceptable-use” agreement, the families are made aware of the school’s ability to “monitor” the hardware, he said, but it stops short of explicitly explaining the security feature. He termed that a mistake.

Young added that mistakes might be made when combining technology and education in a cutting-edge way.

All 2,300 students at the district’s two high schools were offered laptops to “enhance opportunities for ongoing collaboration and ensure that all students have 24/7 access to school-based resources,” according to a message on the superintendent’s Web site, which the suit quoted.

Young said the district is proud of the laptop program and the ability to close the technology gap between students who have computers at home and those who don’t. But he acknowledged schools will have to take a step back to re-evaluate the policies and procedures surrounding the program.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania isn’t involved in the litigation, but its director, Vic Walczak, criticized the school district’s action.

“Neither police nor school officials can enter a private home, physically or electronically, without an invitation or a warrant. The school district’s clandestine electronic eavesdropping violates constitutional privacy rights, intrudes on parents’ right to raise their children and may even be criminal under state and federal wiretapping laws,” Walczak said “… George Orwell’s ‘1984′ is an overused metaphor, but it applies here in spades. Part of the school officials’ punishment should be to retake ninth-grade civics class.”

Kevin Bankston, a senior staff attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation who specializes in electronic privacy, also said the school may have broken federal wire-tapping laws. He called the school district’s action “foolish and dangerous,” saying the matter could prove to be a warning to other districts.

Multiple requests for further comment from the Robbinses’ attorney, Mark Haltzman of Lamm Rubenstone LLC, went unanswered.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/02/19/laptop.suit/index.html
Tips for a Safe Spring Break

Drinking

Bring your ID — the clubs do check ID’s… forget yours and you can forget drinking. Some of the clubs let those 18 and older in, but tag or stamp them as 18-20 who can’t drink.

Be aware of alcohol poisoning. According to a University of Wisconsin study, 75 percent of college males and 43.6 percent of females reported being intoxicated on a daily basis during spring break. Nearly half of the males and more than 40 percent of the females also reported being drunk to the point of vomiting or passing out at least once during break. This is the kind of binge drinking that is the major cause in alcohol poisoning. It also increases the risk of car accidents and arrests for such violations as drunk driving, public intoxication and property destruction.

Don’t drink, but if you are of legal drinking age and you do decide to drink:

• Don’t drink too much!
• Decide in advance what and how much you will drink.
• Plan on how you will refuse once you reach your limit.
• Know what will happen if you violate state or local laws.
• DO NOT DRIVE. Use a designated driver or choose public transportation.

Obeying these rules will keep you from becoming a guest at the county jail and missing a night of fun with your friends.

Should a member of your group become intoxicated, never leave them alone. If they pass out, make sure they sleep on their side to prevent choking, and if their level of consciousness is too low to get a response, call 911.

Hotel/Motel

Generally, common sense rules here:

• Lock your door.
• Look through the peephole before answering the door. Don’t open it for a stranger. If someone claims to be staff, call the front desk for verification.
• Don’t leave valuables in your hotel or motel room.
• Use the buddy system when leaving the room for any reason.
• Do not overcrowd elevators – this often causes a malfunction which will cause you to be stuck with really bad elevator music!
• DO NOT CLIMB on balconies or sit on balcony rails. This can be fatal!

Sex & Violence

According to the same University of Wisconsin study, few students who had sex during spring break used condoms, even if a condom was available, and among women, those with higher alcohol consumption were more likely to have been the victim of a sexual assault.

• Don’t drink too much – drinking makes it easier for a person to become either the victim or the perpetrator of a sexual assault.
• Don’t allow yourself to be taken to an isolated location.
• Don’t walk alone. Use the buddy system.
• Never leave with someone you just met. Attend large parties with friend and plan to leave with the same friends.
• Watch out for “rape” drugs. Don’t leave your drink unattended.
• Don’t accept open drinks from strangers.

Sun, Sand & Surf

That new bathing suit has you bearing more skin than ever and it is easy to spend hours partying with friends on the warm sand. Before it’s too late, you need to know that too much sun can not only damage and dry our skin over time, today it can cause a nasty sunburn and even death — not to mention skin cancer years from now. Prevention is the key here, so follow these tips:

• Avoid sun exposure during the hottest hours of the sun’s rays.
• Avoid over exposure – limit your time in the sun.
• You CAN get a sunburn even if it is cloudy.
• Apply sunscreen with a SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of at least 15, paying special attention to the face, nose, ears and shoulders.
• Re-apply sunscreen after swimming and sweating.
• Wear a hat.
• Wear sunglasses with UV (Ultraviolet) Protection.
• Drink plenty of water, non-carbonated, and non-alcoholic drinks, even if you do not feel thirsty.
• Be aware of Heat Stress Symptoms.

Although the beach is a wonderful experience, there are times and conditions that are a safety concern.

• Stay within the designated swimming area and ideally within the visibility of a lifeguard.
• Never swim alone.
• Know the flag warning system:
  -Red Flag: Stay OUT of the water – strong undertow and riptides.
  -Yellow Flag: Use CAUTION in the water – some undertow and riptides possible.
  -Blue Flag: Calm water.
• Be aware of rip currents. If you should get caught in a current, don’t try to swim against it. Swim parallel to shore until clear of the current.
• Use common sense – if the waves look dangerous… they probably are.
• Jellyfish cause intense burning. Lifeguards know the first aid procedure for reducing the pain.
• Seek shelter in case of storm. Get out of the water. Get off the beach in case of lightning.
• Watch out for traffic – some beaches allow cars. If you’re driving… obey the speed limit.

http://goflorida.about.com/od/planningyourtrip/a/springbrksafety.htm

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WASHINGTON (CNNMoney.com) — Antoine Perretta, a 21-year-old University of Denver student, regularly pays off his three credit cards, to build up his credit score. He’s working toward getting an affordable loan to buy a car, a used black Audi.

Sarah Bush got her first credit card at 20 and and has “regretted it ever since.” A student at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., she is now 24 and enrolled in a debt management program, which has helped her whittle credit card debt down to $7,500.

For better or worse, new laws that take effect on Monday are poised to curb the proliferation of credit cards on college campuses, making it tougher for Perretta, Bush and other students to get credit cards.

Last May, Congress decided to crack down on credit card companies and passed a law ushering in sweeping changes for the industry. The laws make it harder for card issuers to raise interest rates unless a cardholder is at least two months late on a bill.

But some of the biggest changes will hit those under 21, who will find it tougher to get a credit card without jumping through new hoops.

No longer will students be able to step up to a table on campus and walk away with a teddy bear, T-shirt and credit card, at least not without a parent’s signature or proof of solid income or other assets.

Consumer advocates say the new laws are a good change that will prevent students from starting new careers overloaded with debt.

The average student credit card balance was $3,173 in 2008, up from $1,879 a decade earlier, according to a 2009 survey by student loan issuer Sallie Mae.

But many college students worry that the new laws will make it tougher for them to get credit cards, period.

With the country still struggling under tough economic conditions, more students are using credit cards to pay for tuition, books, commutes and room and board, the Sallie Mae report showed.

“It’s my safety line,” said Zachary Allen, 19, a business administration sophomore at Saint Leo University in Saint Leo, Fla. “I use my credit card for everything, from gas to my books to food and clothes.”

Allen has a good summer job working on the back of a garbage truck in Long Island, N.Y., that earns him $15,000 a year. But he can’t convince his bank to raise his credit limit above $700, and he’s been denied for other new cards.

“We’re at record high unemployment for our age group and the government is spending billions of dollars a month, but they’re not helping students,” Allen said. “Why isn’t Congress helping us instead putting more constraints and pressure on us?”

The biggest new obstacle for those under 21 will be getting a co-signer, which can be a parent or any adult willing to put his own credit score on the line.

If those under 21 can’t get a co-signer, then they need to show they have the financial ability to pay off a credit card. Banks will determine that threshold.

Gone will be the stuffed bears, T-shirts, backpacks and water bottles that used to clutter credit card application tables on campuses, because the law also prohibits such tangible “inducements” to tempt students.

The law will continue to allow those under 21 to apply online for credit cards, but they still have to meet the tougher new requirements, according to Federal Reserve rules and banks.

Consumer advocates herald the rules and say they will stem the tide of newly graduated students over-burdened by credit card debt they weren’t quite ready for.

“I think it’s going to keep a lot of students from getting into trouble,” said Irene Leech, an associate professor in consumer studies at Virginia Tech University. “I hope it means we’ll have more responsible lending and parents don’t get surprised that a young person has taken out this debt.”

The law comes too late for Gloria McDonald of Crestline, Ohio, who was surprised to discover her daughter, a student at Ohio University at Athens, Ohio, had maxed out five credit cards, racking up $8,000 of debt at a 23.99% interest rate. McDonald had to borrow against her life insurance policy to pay down the debt.

“I cannot believe that these card companies were allowed to take such advantage of college kids,” McDonald said. “How could they possibly issue cards with high credit limits to kids with no visible means of support.”

It’s unclear whether or not the new law will prevent students from getting access to credit, generally, even if they meet the new mandates.

Banks have already pulled back from issuing as many cards to the student market, in the same way that they’re pulling back from lots of areas they now consider risky.

“We’re in a transition period, so it’s hard to predict,” said American Bankers Association spokesman Peter Garuccio. “But it’ll be tougher for some folks to get credit cards. That may include young adults.”

But some states already have even stronger laws already in place. For example, in New York, all colleges must prohibit any on-campus marketing of credit cards to students. Texas allows such marketing in “designated areas,” but requires credit cards that do market on campus to also provide financial literacy programs.

A free backpack and water bottle drew Rosa Nunez who, at 18, was given a credit card with a $8,500 limit, as she walked past the front entrance of LaGuardia Community College in New York.

It was a learning experience. At one point, she took a vacation she couldn’t really afford that made it difficult for her to buy books when she returned. Nine years later, she’s grateful for access to credit cards, which allowed her to build up a good credit score and buy a house in Queens at 27.

“I do agree there should be new standards in place. Freshman shouldn’t get credit limits of $5,000, it should be appropriate to their income,” said Nunez who is finishing her marketing degree this year at Baruch College in New York. “However, I don’t agree that it should be so difficult for them to get credit at all.”

http://money.cnn.com/2010/02/19/news/economy/student_credit_cards/index.htm

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*estimating home values

*looking for a job

*comparison shopping for cars

*get your credit report

*looking for stock tips

*buying a car

*shopping online

*downloading music

*entering sensitive information

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NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — General Motors announced Tuesday it would add 1,200 jobs to its Lordstown, Ohio plant in preparation for the launch of its newest small car.

Detroit-based GM said the new third shift at the Ohio plant would support the production of its 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, which will take the place of the Chevrolet Cobalt.

Production of the new compact car isn’t expected to begin until the third quarter of this year. But once underway, GM estimates the new production schedule will generate $47 million in additional payroll, $470,000 in local income taxes, and $1.4 million in state income tax.

“Adding a third shift to build Cruze is an investment with impact far beyond General Motors,” said Mark Reuss, president of GM North America, in a press release. “It’s an investment in the long-term value of Lordstown and the prosperity of Ohio.”

The Lordstown, Ohio, factory, which will produce Cruze models for the United States and Canada, was built in 1966. Some 14.3 million GM cars have been manufactured at the plant, including 1 million Chevrolet Cobalts since the vehicle’s launch in 2004.

http://money.cnn.com/2010/02/23/news/companies/GM_ohio_plant/index.htm

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