Nanjing University in China’s Jiangsu province has scrapped a controversial feature of its AI-powered classroom tracking system following a wave of public backlash. The university announced the move on Wednesday after leaked screenshots of the technology went viral, sparking a national debate over privacy and algorithmic surveillance.
The controversy centered on a "head-up rate," or taitou lu in Chinese, which the software used to calculate whether students were focusing on lectures or were distracted by mobile devices and laptops. The leaked images purportedly showed live classroom footage paired with real-time data on attendance and attentiveness.
In a statement on its official social media account on Wednesday, the university clarified that the surveillance was intended to track teaching quality and stated it would not arbitrarily use facial recognition on students. The university explained that the viral screenshot was taken by an individual during a system trial in May. The institution stated, “Without authorisation, our smart classroom system does not collect facial or other biometric data, nor does it conduct facial recognition during teaching applications,” and added that the system “no longer calculates head-up rates.”
According to the Jinan Daily, the university activated the smart system during the first week of November. While the university notified students of the rollout via group chats, some teachers warned that the resulting attendance records could directly impact grades or lead to students being barred from exams.
A previous tender notice on the university’s website showed the smart system cost more than 30 million yuan (US$4.5 million). The project included upgrading equipment and facilities in over 100 classrooms and several public areas on one campus. The platform uses cameras and AI algorithms to automate roll-calls, count crowds, and monitor attentiveness.
Students told local media they were uneasy about privacy and noted that the university had not sought their consent, fearing their biometric data could end up with private tech firms. An anonymous faculty member at Nanjing University told the South China Morning Post that while students reacted, the data collection was "geared more towards supervising teachers’ performance." The staff member also noted that students often bury their heads in devices, calling it "deeply disrespectful to the lecturer."
