Nanjing University Discontinues Classroom Attention Tracking Following Privacy Concerns

Nanjing University has officially confirmed that it will no longer use its smart classroom system to track student 'attention rates.' The clarification follows social media reports that featured screenshots of a classroom monitoring dashboard displaying statistics such as student attendance and gaze tracking, which triggered concerns regarding privacy and surveillance.

In a formal statement, the university’s undergraduate office noted that the smart classroom project was designed to facilitate lecture recording, remote interaction, and attendance management for administrative purposes. The institution emphasized that the system does not utilize facial recognition software or collect biometric data without explicit authorization, refuting rumors that the data would be directly linked to individual student grades.

The university clarified that the widely circulated images, which implied widespread monitoring of student behavior, were sourced from a specific, isolated incident involving online supervision at its Suzhou campus. While the school continues to implement digital classroom upgrades, it has committed to prioritizing student privacy while leveraging educational technology to support learning resources.

The shift comes amid broader industry debates regarding the extent of digital monitoring in Chinese higher education. While smart classrooms are becoming a standard feature in many institutions to support hybrid learning and data-driven teaching reforms, this incident highlights the tension between institutional data collection and student privacy rights.