AI Surveillance Installed in Yekaterinburg Schools to Detect Threatening Language

Several schools in Yekaterinburg have become the first in Russia to install an audio surveillance system that reacts to “alarming” words, according to a report by E1.ru. This measure was introduced to help prevent tragedies like the mass attack in May 2021, when Ilnaz Galyaviev carried out an armed assault at a school in Kazan.

How the System Works

The neural network is programmed to respond to words such as “shoot,” “kill,” and “bomb,” among others. In total, the list includes about 20 to 30 keywords. The system also reacts to loud noises, such as the sound of a firecracker explosion.

Whenever the system detects something suspicious, it immediately sends a one-minute video of the incident to the school administration’s email. The video captures 30 seconds before and 30 seconds after the potentially dangerous sound.

Implementation and Legal Considerations

The new technology was introduced at a school in the Solnechny neighborhood. According to teachers and Yekaterinburg authorities, this surveillance is legal because it does not monitor specific individuals but only detects alarming moods among students.