Florida teen’s ChatGPT search 'How do I kill my friend' leads to arrest, raises questions about school surveillance

Dubai: A 13-year-old student in Florida was arrested after asking ChatGPT how to “kill my friend in the middle of class,” a query that was automatically flagged by school monitoring software.

According to police, the boy made the request using his school-issued laptop, which was connected to Gaggle, a software designed to monitor students’ online activity for potential threats. The program detected the violent phrase and immediately alerted school officials, who then contacted law enforcement.

When questioned, the student reportedly told officers that he was “just joking” and did not intend to harm anyone. Despite his explanation, he was taken into custody and charged with making a written threat to kill or harm.

The arrest has reignited debates about digital surveillance in schools and whether tools like Gaggle strike the right balance between safety and privacy. Supporters argue that such monitoring systems have prevented potential tragedies, while critics say they can lead to overreach, misinterpretation, and unnecessary criminalization of minors.

Civil liberties advocates have also raised concerns about the role of artificial intelligence in policing student behavior, warning that algorithms may not understand nuance or intent.

As of now, the student’s identity has not been released because of his age, and the case remains under investigation.