What Are Blocksi, GoGuardian, and Securly?
Blocksi, GoGuardian, and Securly are types of software known as "cloud-based web filters" and "classroom management tools." School districts install these programs on school-issued devices like Chromebooks, iPads, and MacBooks to manage how students use the internet. Because these tools operate in the "cloud," they work wherever the device goes, meaning they can control the computer whether the student is sitting in a classroom or doing homework at a coffee shop.
What Do They Do?
These programs have three main jobs:
Filtering Content: The software acts as a gatekeeper. It automatically blocks websites that the school or the government considers inappropriate, such as those with violence, adult content, or gambling. It also enforces "Safe Search" on Google and YouTube to hide explicit results.
Monitoring Screens: These tools allow teachers to see a live view of every student's screen on a single dashboard. Teachers can see exactly what tabs are open, check browsing history, and even take control of the device to close distracting tabs or lock the screen during a lesson.
Scanning for Safety: The software uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to scan everything a student types in emails, documents, and search bars. If the AI detects words related to cyberbullying, self-harm, or violence, it sends an immediate alert to school administrators so they can intervene.
Screens with Eyes: The Problem with GoGuardian, Securly, and Blocksi in Schools
In schools today, almost every student uses some kind of computer. Whether it is a Chromebook, an iPad, or a MacBook, these devices are supposed to help students learn. But along with these devices comes a new kind of software that watches everything happening on the screen. Schools use programs like Blocksi Enterprise Edition, GoGuardian, and Securly to keep students safe and focused. These programs allow teachers and principals to see screens, read chats, and block websites they think are bad. While school leaders say these tools are necessary to follow the law and stop distractions, the software actually creates big problems. When looking closely, using spy tools like GoGuardian, Securly, and Blocksi hurts student privacy, blocks helpful information by mistake, and damages the trust between students and teachers.
To be fair, these programs do have a purpose. Schools have to follow a law called the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). This law says schools must protect kids from seeing dangerous or inappropriate pictures on the internet. Software like Blocksi and GoGuardian makes this easy for the school’s technology department because administrators can block bad sites on thousands of devices at once ("School Web Filter"). Also, teachers use these tools to manage their classrooms. With GoGuardian or Blocksi, a teacher can see a "dashboard" on their desk that shows every student's screen in real-time. If a student is playing a game on an iPad or chatting on a MacBook instead of working, the teacher can close the tab instantly. This is supposed to help students stay on task.
However, the biggest problem is how much these programs spy on students. It feels very unsettling to know that someone is always watching the screen. Whether a student is using a cheap Chromebook or a fancy MacBook, these programs can track every website visited and every search typed. GoGuardian, for example, allows teachers to see exactly what a student is doing as it happens (Escobar). This makes students feel like they are living in a glass house where there is no privacy. It creates a "digital panopticon," which is a fancy way of saying a prison where the guards can always see the prisoners. Because of this, students are scared to look up answers to personal questions or explore new ideas because they are afraid of getting in trouble.
This spying gets even worse when students take devices home. In the past, what happened at home was private. But now, because programs like Securly and GoGuardian are installed deep inside the device, the software can sometimes keep tracking the user even in their own bedroom. A student might be using a school iPad to listen to music or look up help for a personal problem on the weekend, and the school might still have a record of it. This blurs the line between school time and private time. As one student newspaper noted, this constant surveillance makes students feel less like learners and more like suspects ("Is It Time to Block Blocksi?").
Another major issue is that these programs are not smart enough to know the difference between a distraction and real schoolwork. This is called "over-blocking." GoGuardian, Securly, and Blocksi all use computer codes, called algorithms, to decide which websites are bad. But computers make mistakes. For example, if a student is researching a war for history class, Securly might block the website because it contains "violence." If a biology student is looking up information on breast cancer, the filter might block the site for being "inappropriate" (Ross). This is very frustrating. Instead of learning, students have to stop, ask the teacher to unblock the site, and wait. It wastes class time and treats teenagers like little kids who cannot be trusted.
In addition to blocking websites, these tools use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to scan what students type. The software looks for words related to bullying, self-harm, or violence. While schools want to keep kids safe, these systems often flag innocent things. A student writing a creative story for English class about a villain might get flagged by GoGuardian for writing "violent" words. This can lead to a visit to the principal's office for something that was not actually wrong. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has warned that these mistakes happen often and can unfairly target students just for using slang or writing about difficult topics. It makes students scared to write freely because they are worried a robot will misunderstand the intent.
Finally, using software like Blocksi and GoGuardian hurts the relationship between students and teachers. School is supposed to be a place where young people learn to be responsible adults. Trust is a huge part of that. When a teacher uses these tools to lock a student's screen or close tabs without asking, the action feels like policing, not teaching. It sends a message that the school does not trust students to control themselves. This also creates an unfair situation called the "equity gap." Students from wealthy families who have personal MacBooks or laptops can do homework without being watched. But students who rely on school-issued Chromebooks for everything are watched 24/7. This means poorer students have less privacy than richer students.
In conclusion, while schools use GoGuardian, Securly, and Blocksi to follow laws and keep classrooms quiet, the downsides are very serious. These tools take away student privacy, block websites that are actually needed for homework, and make students feel untrusted. Whether it is on a tablet, a laptop, or a Chromebook, no student should feel like a suspect every second of the day. Schools need to think about whether total control is worth the cost. Instead of just blocking everything and watching every move, schools should teach students how to use the internet responsibly so they can learn to be good digital citizens on their own.
Works Cited
Blocksi. "School Web Filter: Benefits and Limitations." Blocksi Blog, 14 Feb. 2023, blocksi.net/blogs/school-web-filter-benefits-and-limitations/. Accessed 15 May 2024.
Escobar, Elizabeth. "LAUSD Students Raise Privacy Concerns over GoGuardian." The Mirror, Van Nuys High School, 30 May 2025, vnhsmirror.com/228037/featured-articles/lausd-students-raise-privacy-concerns-over-goguardian/. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
FHS Press Staff. "Is It Time to Block Blocksi?" The FHS Press, Freedom High School, 21 Dec. 2023, www.fhs-press.com/is-it-time-to-block-blocksi/. Accessed 15 May 2024.
Herold, Benjamin. "The Spyware Used to Monitor Students Is Getting Worse." Education Week, 3 June 2021, www.edweek.org/technology/the-spyware-used-to-monitor-students-is-getting-worse. Accessed 15 May 2024.
Ross, Jonathan. "Securly is Watching You." The Uproar, Nashua High School North, 25 Oct. 2018, nashuproar.org/11906/opinion/securly-is-watching-you/. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.