Increasing Supervision of Teenagers in russia: Schools Monitoring Social Media, Responsibility Being Shifted to Teachers

russia’s regions are increasing control over teenagers under the pretext of “preventing destructive behavior”. For example, schools in tatarstan have begun to demand written consent from parents to monitoring of schoolchildren’s social media pages. Parents of 5th –11th formers are asked to provide their teenagers’ phone numbers and account names, while the responsibility for monitoring schoolchildren’s online activity has been placed on class teachers.

Formally, the initiative is explained by the need to “detect the influence of destructive communities in a timely manner”. The parents’ participation is called voluntary. At the same time, teachers and parents themselves admit that in reality, teachers have been monitoring the pages of individual students they consider “problematic” for some time. According to one parent in kazan, class teachers are asked to record anything that seems suspicious, from subscriptions to reposts and personal posts.

In parallel with digital control, physical security measures are being strengthened in russian schools. After two high-profile attacks within one week in ufa – a shooting at a gymnasium and a knife attack on foreigners in a student dormitory – mass checks began in educational institutions. Criminal cases were brought against the attackers, but at the same time, the investigation opened proceedings under the article “negligence”, effectively placing part of the responsibility on the teachers.

Teachers are forced to come to school earlier, stand guard at the entrances, and “keep a closer eye on the pupils”. According to the teachers themselves, the requirements seem formal and ineffective: they have neither the authority nor the tools to conduct thorough checks, while dangerous items can easily be brought in a backpack. Despite this, schools are increasingly seen as the only party responsible for children’s safety.

The kremlin is tightening its total control over teenagers – both online and offline – but in case of emergencies, it shifts the blame to teachers.