Kids are secretly 'talking' to each other in class using AirPods and apps

[midian182]

In a nutshell: As technology becomes more advanced, children are finding more ways to take advantage of it. The latest trick involves using some of Apple’s AirPods and a text-to-speech app to “talk” in class without the teacher realizing.

Those of a certain age may recall when throwing rolled up pieces of paper containing written messages was the best way of surreptitiously communicating in classrooms. In today’s digital age, things are a lot more high-tech.

In a TikTok video from user Leilana that was shared on Twitter, two students, each with a pair of Apple's buds, show how to have a 'conversation' in class. It involves first swapping one AirPod with each other. Then, they use Google Translate to type a message and play it, allowing the other person to hear what is being said. While Google’s software is used in the clip, any text-to-speech app should work fine.

@_leilanaa

try this! #foryoupage #airpods #seeya #WhatsYourStuf #officelife #makethisviral

♬ The Box - Roddy Ricch

The method still requires students to use their phones without the teacher noticing, so why not just send text messages instead? But being able to essentially ‘talk’ to a friend in class without anyone realizing will doubtlessly be welcomed by bored kids, or even adults working in offices.

We named Apple’s newest earbuds, the AirPods Pro, as joint winners in the ‘wireless buds’ category in our Best of Headphones feature. It shares top spot with Samsung’s Galaxy Buds, which, despite being over $100 cheaper than their rivals, offer better sound quality—according to Consumer Reports, at least.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/83677-kids-secretly-talking-each-other-class-using-airpods.html

 

[Uncle Al]

In this age of Active Shooters it's hard to find fault with students having cell phones but there is no reason that teachers can't require all phones to be turned off, ear buds removed, and both stored away in backpacks during class. ANY of this is useless if the local PTA and school Superintendent won't back up the teachers and parents MUST learn this is their child's education on the line. It also wouldn't hurt to remind the parents that if the children can't get an education it means they can't get a job which means they NEVER MOVE OUT! Now there's an incentive that should carry the day!

 

[QuantumPhysics]

I guess we should thank THE PARENTS for financing their kids educational downfall?

Scientific studies have already shown that students perform poorly on standardized tests when these technologies are allowed in the classroom.

We’ve already seen a spike in pre-teen suicides due to negligent parents giving their kids access to social media.

I personally want to thank governments out their who banned these things in their schools and restrict access to social media and gaming regardless what the corporate interests and naysayers think.

It’s bad enough the negative educational consequences, but atop that, these social media companies are mining and misusing our data or giving government access for domestic spying purposes

Orwell couldn’t have imagined this level of stupidity.

 

[Adi6293]

I want to know why KIDS have iPhones and $200 headphones? I've got a 5 year old son myself and I'm not a stingy dad but I would never get him a phone this expensive its just silly, I have seen what owning a "smart phone" done to my sister once my son needs a phone it will pre paid phone with buttons most likely : - P

 

[QuantumPhysics]

I want to know why KIDS have iPhones and $200 headphones? I've got a 5 year old son myself and I'm not a stingy dad but I would never get him a phone this expensive its just silly, I have seen what owning a "smart phone" done to my sister once my son needs a phone it will pre paid phone with buttons most likely : - P

Why?
Because...

#1 Smartphone manufacturers and telephone companies spend BILLIONS making you think someone is trying to kidnap your kid and they need it.

#2 Parents immersed in credit card debt.

#3 Negligeent parents who don't know how to parent

#4 Weak schools who act toothless when setting policy.

 

[Ravalo]

I want to know why KIDS have iPhones and $200 headphones? I've got a 5 year old son myself and I'm not a stingy dad but I would never get him a phone this expensive its just silly, I have seen what owning a "smart phone" done to my sister once my son needs a phone it will pre paid phone with buttons most likely : - P

Idk why people use their smartphone a lot

I have a samsung galaxy j2 prime and I barely even touch it

 

[Skjorn]

Jfc these comments are terrible. Went from "Active Shooters" (proper case for some reason..) to poorly educated and living at home and suicide cause of cell phones..

Wtf?
Would make some great sensationalist writers..

 

[gusticles41]

...Why are the airpods necessary? They're just texting.

 

[ckm88]

We've come a long way from swapping notes!

 

[Lionvibez]

...Why are the airpods necessary? They're just texting.

Because its more about looking cool than being practical.

You have to remember these are children, they fall for flashy, cool and edgy to try to be different because they yet don't have their own identity.

 

[Dosahka]

We've come a long way from swapping notes!

that was a nice challenge back then.

...Why are the airpods necessary? They're just texting.

They type the text but will read it out with google translate (which is video didn't showed) as the article writer said you can do it with any text to speed, even with Siri. Sure they are overcomplicating it, what they need is just send a message with Emoji's

On the parenting side, the new age parents (less than 30 years old with at least 1 kid) they probably have a different view on parenting than who is older than 30 or even more than 40. Technology wasn't for both parents when they were kids but they grown up in a different era for sure. Nowadays if you have a kid from 5-15 you can't tel your kid to have a "dumb" phone like a 3310, simply because he/she will be bullied and will have less friends, knowledge on view and will crave for a smart one, probably forever or not.
I can see on my 5 years old niece that she can decide what to do with a £400 iPad and pencil, she is no abusing it, but she knows because her parents and myself taught her to use it wisely and not to abuse it's usage, she has to sort of "earn" it to watch cartoon or play on it.
Trust she a 1st child for my brother and she for example refuse to eat if she can't watch cartoon on her tablet while eating, but she won't eat because focusing on the cartoon too much...they ****ed up big time, I told them many times (and they told me to FO), but it's not my kid I'm just an uncle.
You can't keep them out of age of technology, you have to teach them how to navigate in it, give them guidelines and the most important, whatever you let them to use it and if they using it for something else just let you know. Setup screen time if you see fit (which is a really good thing), but guiding them is far better, but YMMV and IMHO.

 

[Namtrooper]

You were not even allowed to bring a phone to the school in the second half of the nineties.

 

[gusticles41]

Because its more about looking cool than being practical.

You have to remember these are children, they fall for flashy, cool and edgy to try to be different because they yet don't have their own identity.

Do it for the TikTok!

 

[Plutoisaplanet]

You were not even allowed to bring a phone to the school in the second half of the nineties.

In the second half of the 2000s you were allowed to bring your phone to school but not use it, including during lunch. Before/after school was the only exception. Some teachers were lax about it.

Jfc these comments are terrible. Went from "Active Shooters" (proper case for some reason..) to poorly educated and living at home and suicide cause of cell phones..

Wtf?
Would make some great sensationalist writers..

And then to comments about the comments!

 

[Evernessince]

Idk why people use their smartphone a lot

I have a samsung galaxy j2 prime and I barely even touch it

If you think this is bad you should check out some of the political articles.

 

[Tams80]

It seems the art of blind T9 typing has been lost. That was very hard for a teacher to catch.

 

[p51d007]

Have separate tiny lockers in each class room. Place ALL students phones in their respective bins.
The bins, created with a "Faraday shield" construction, will block 100% of signals getting out of, or
into the phone. Once class is over, they can take their phones with them to the next class, and have
those placed in bins.
If a parent needs to reach the student, if in class, call the office, and they can call the classroom.
If in between classes, they can call the student.
PROBLEM SOLVED.

 

[Squid Surprise]

I'm a teacher in the Toronto District School Board... Have a Grade 5/6 this year... I have several students who bring their smartphones - my policy is if I see the phone, it's MINE, and the student's parent (or legal guardian) can come get it back.

A few try and circumvent this - I had a nice Galaxy for a weekend sitting in my cupboard - but kids tend to learn pretty quickly. It's kind of like training a puppy - be firm, and they'll eventually follow the rules.

 

[Lionvibez]

Trust she a 1st child for my brother and she for example refuse to eat if she can't watch cartoon on her tablet while eating, but she won't eat because focusing on the cartoon too much...they ****ed up big time, I told them many times (and they told me to FO), but it's not my kid I'm just an uncle.

I would just sit there and wait. My resolve is alot stronger than that of a child, eventually the hunger pains will force that child to eat.

 

[Wizwill]

I went to work as an instructor at a post-high school trade school last year. Constant cell phone use, pot smoking in the hallways and on classroom breaks, threats of violence against instructors and lax management who closeted themselves in the office suite were all the order of the day. When I brought up these issues to management they told me that they couldn't enforce any rules because the students would leave and take their $40,000 tuition with them if they weren't given totally free rein. I would advise anyone who is interested in teaching to watch Mr. Smith goes to Washington and interpolate.

I lasted about a month.

 

[Ravalo]

Trust she a 1st child for my brother and she for example refuse to eat if she can't watch cartoon on her tablet while eating, but she won't eat because focusing on the cartoon too much...they ****ed up big time, I told them many times (and they told me to FO), but it's not my kid I'm just an uncle.

Hey, at least she’s going to do intermittent fasting and lose weight

 

[Markoni35]

I want to know why KIDS have iPhones and $200 headphones? I've got a 5 year old son myself and I'm not a stingy dad but I would never get him a phone this expensive its just silly, I have seen what owning a "smart phone" done to my sister once my son needs a phone it will pre paid phone with buttons most likely : - P

Because it's not cold war anymore. During the cold war CIA and KGB would plant a spying device in your house at the government expense. But now we live in freedom and you have to buy your own spying device. But not some cheap crap. Nope, it has to be state of the art, with 12 cameras and 17 microphones. And then you have to buy one for your wife and each of your kids.

I guess it's part of the cutbacks. Government agencies simply don't have enough money to plant the spying devices for free, in every house. At least not the good ones. It's on us to help them. Even if it means taking another loan.