Latvian DPA Advises on Parents' Requests for School Surveillance Videos of Their Children

Parents sometimes seek such video surveillance to verify their children's daily lives, such as what they're doing during breaks, the DPA said.

Under the country's Data Regulation, an organization that processes data such as video surveillance must provide a copy of it upon request. When minors are involved, the video should be available to a child's parents or legal representative. As the child gets older, however, the school should consider the child's opinion on the use of its data.

This right of access ensures that people are aware their data is being processed and can verify its lawfulness, the watchdog said. The right to receive a copy of the data can't, however, harm others' rights.

In handing over such data after a request, schools must ensure that only the data of the child concerned is provided. Accordingly, that means sometimes blurring or otherwise hiding other students and teachers in the video.

The main function of schools is to educate children, and video surveillance is primarily done for safety purposes and property protection, not to monitor students' behavior, the authority said. Should parents want a copy of their child's data, but the school can't provide the full video, it can offer a portion sufficient to show that its data processing was lawful.

If parents' requests are manifestly unfounded or excessive, the school may refuse to grant them, the watchdog said.