US charity plans AI surveillance in Gaza classrooms

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 9 Oct, 19:14 · Archive

A US charity operating in Gaza plans to record classroom conversations and use artificial intelligence to flag speech deemed 'hateful' or 'inciting', citing concerns that teachers could deviate from a curriculum designed to promote peace and tolerance. The plans, outlined by the charity's founder during a webinar last month, have drawn ethical, safety and privacy concerns from Palestinian organisations, human rights advocates and at least one of the charity's partner groups.

The charity is the Gaza Children Village, founded by Dr David Hasan, a neurosurgeon born in Kuwait to Palestinian parents who teaches at Duke University Medical School in Durham, North Carolina. Hasan developed the idea while volunteering in Gaza hospitals during the war, seeking to break cycles of violence between Palestinians and Israelis. He has said he was raised to view Israelis and Jews unfavourably and only encountered alternative viewpoints after attending college in the United States, perspectives he wants children in Gaza to access early in life.

Palestinian advocacy groups have criticised the charity's broader educational approach, arguing it operates without accountability to local or UN bodies that traditionally oversee Gaza's schools. While there is no evidence the charity intends to share classroom recordings with third parties, anxieties over potential surveillance misuse remain high in Gaza after three years of war. It remains unclear when the classroom monitoring will start or what specific words will trigger alerts.

How it is being reported

• Jerusalem Daily: US charity to use AI to monitor Gaza classroomsA US charity announced it will use an AI-software to monitor Gaza classrooms for ‘anti-Semitism’ and ‘hate speech’.Al Jazeera · 9 Oct, 18:37
• US charity plans to use AI surveillance in Gaza classrooms to monitor ‘hate speech’The charity’s broader educational approach has also been challenged by advocacy groups arguing it operates without accountability to local or UN bodies that traditionally oversee Gaza’s schoolsIndependent World · 9 Oct, 16:10

In this story: Gaza Children Village · Dr David Hasan · Gaza · Duke University Medical School · Palestine

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