I'm concerned about my privacy because my school is considering using GoGuardian on their computers. I currently have my school email logged into the Gmail app on my personal iPhone. I heard from someone that if I have my school email signed in on my personal devices, the school might be able to access my device and its information just like they could with a school-owned device. I'm not very tech-savvy, but I find that hard to believe and want to get some clarity. Can my school actually access my personal phone through GoGuardian?
2 Answers
It's generally not a good idea to let schools or employers install anything on your personal devices. These tools could give them a way to monitor you. If you ever feel pressured to do that, it might be better to get a cheap prepaid phone for school-related tasks instead of risking your personal device.
When it comes to mobile devices, schools usually can't see much beyond your Gmail activity or any searches made while signed in. They can't force you to install anything. However, if you were to log into your school account from your computer and it installed as a primary account, that could allow more monitoring. Generally, just checking your email on your phone without staying logged in shouldn't pose any issues. It's best to avoid logging into work or school accounts on personal devices if you can, though.
Why do you say it's not recommended to log into school accounts on personal devices?