A growing number of teenagers are actively resisting increased digital surveillance in schools and beyond, signaling a shift in attitudes toward technology. Avery Schromm, a 17-year-old high school senior in California, embodies this trend. When her school implemented a new policy requiring students to use monitored Chromebooks both inside and outside the classroom, she immediately pushed back.
The new policy explicitly stated that the school reserved the right to examine student data for any reason, including “health, safety, discipline or security.” Schromm’s response was swift: she surveyed her peers, and 90% reported feeling uncomfortable with the lack of privacy. Students also expressed concerns about data storage and monitoring outside of class hours.
This isn’t just about laptops. The broader context is that teens are becoming more aware of how schools and tech companies track their digital lives. This awareness is fueled by years of increasing surveillance, from social media algorithms to now, school-issued devices with intrusive monitoring software. The fact that students are organizing against this—even at the high school level—is significant.
Why this matters: Teens are the first generation to grow up entirely under digital observation. Their resistance suggests they’re not willing to passively accept it. This is more than just discomfort; it’s a rejection of constant tracking, and a desire for autonomy. The pushback comes at a critical moment, as schools increasingly rely on tech for everything from testing to behavior monitoring.
Despite the backlash, some surveys show that a majority of teens still support cellphone restrictions in schools. Nearly half acknowledge the negative effects of social media, yet they also recognize its value for socializing. On AI, opinions are mixed, with teens expressing both optimism and uncertainty.
However, when it comes to outright surveillance, the message is clear. The most effective anti-tech arguments among Gen Z and Alpha aren’t about health scares or addiction warnings. They’re about privacy, fighting authority, and reclaiming creative agency. Many teens are actively seeking alternatives to screen-dominated lives, embracing activities like music, animal care, and crafts as ways to disconnect.
The key is that this resistance must come from the teens themselves, not as a top-down lecture from adults. Their generation is about to enter adulthood with the power to choose how they engage with technology, and many are already signaling a preference for less control and more freedom.
The younger generation is not simply accepting the digital world as it is; they are actively questioning it, and in some cases, pushing back. This suggests a future where tech use will be more deliberate, less pervasive, and more aligned with individual autonomy.
