PS: Plan to Install Cameras to All Schools Nothing But Expensive Placebo

Bratislava, November 5 (TASR) - Opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) criticised the intent of the Interior Ministry to introduce camera systems in schools as a security risk, voicing its concern about data leaks, TASR learnt from a PS press conference on Tuesday. "The Interior Minister proposes to install a camera system in every school, aimed at monitoring the faces of our children, teachers and parents, create models of these faces and store them somewhere... We're talking about a million people. Every single day in schools across entire Slovakia, someone will monitor their arrivals, departures, daily routines, when, how and where they go, with whom they talk, how they behave, what they wear, what they eat and the like," said PS chair Michal Simecka. Simecka pointed out that the system will store the camera data. "Who will guarantee that this system will be secure? That's a crucial thing, after all, not to have it hacked by criminals, pedophiles, mafia or anyone capable of stealing an enormous trove of data about our kids," he said, warning that such data would be easy to misuse. "In the situation with continuing bombing threats, schools need very precise, literally surgically precise solutions." MP Jaroslav Spisiak (PS) warned about the inefficiency of the plan because addressing the bombing threats this way would call for the installation of significantly more cameras. "The proposed concept would be suitable for nothing more than tackling petty theft, perhaps vandalism on and around school premises, seeing as they plan to install the cameras at school perimeters only," he claimed. "Cameras in schools are a really expensive and needless placebo, which won't bolster our children's security accordingly but, on the contrary, introduce new risks of violations into privacy of all students, parents, teachers and other school employees," added MP Tina Gazovicova (PS). By the end of 2026, Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) plans to install cameras systems controlled by AI at about 3,000 schools. mf/mcs