QR Code Bathroom Access Sparks Privacy Backlash Among Students

The implementation of a new QR code policy at a high school in California has raised concerns among students due to privacy issues. The policy, introduced at the start of the 2024-2025 school year, mandates that students scan a QR code with their phones before using the bathroom.

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Administrators see the new policy at Edison High School in Huntington Beach as a way to track student whereabouts better. However, many students feel that it infringes on their privacy. According to FOX 11 , students are frustrated because they have to scan a code to use the bathroom. Nonetheless, some students believe the policy can prevent others from skipping class or wandering the halls.

“There’s been a lot of problems with kids messing around and talking to friends when they should be in class,” one student explained to the outlet. Administrators have yet to release a statement addressing student concerns. Many students are concerned about how much information the school is collecting and how it will be used in the future. One student told ABC 7 that the code is connected to a tracker, which gives students seven minutes to use the restroom.

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“It gives you a seven-minute timer and once that timer ends, it can affect your attendance and other things. And it happens every time you go to the restroom. And this is because of last year, people would use the restroom and not come back to class,”

Students have mentioned that the QR code can only be used twice a day, which is unfair for students who need bathroom breaks during lunch and between classes. A petition has been created on Change.org, gathering over 450 signatures, asking school administrators to make changes to the policy.