Lightspeed or Lightslow?

Story by Hunter Heier »

Cybersecurity is something that should be quick and easy, but Lightspeed Mobile Filter has been anything but that lately. Lightspeed Mobile Filter is a new extension, similar to an application, on student Chromebooks. It’s intended to block malicious sites that could harm a student’s device. But, Lightspeed has seemed slower than the speed of light.

“When I’m at home, it’s very slow,” said Taylor Mabon, Soph.

This is a common theme among students. Jonathan Bock, Sr., also found Lightspeed slow to load at his rural home.

“I used to waste a lot of time trying to get it to work at home,” Bock said.

This frustrates students because Chromebooks must have Lightspeed installed.

“Whether this device is on or off campus, it is still subject to the rules and regulations that Eudora Schools is subject to,” Ron Long, Eudora Schools Technology Director, said.

According to Long, Lightspeed is installed in order to comply with the Children’s Internet Protection Act.

Some students, however, see some positives to using the filter. One positive of the mobile filter is blocking internet advertisements.

“It blocks advertisements when I’m doing homework,” said Connor Watson, Jr.

There are also changes planned to make the Lightspeed filter better in the coming future.

“Our vendor (Lightspeed Systems) has made significant changes to how the filter works,” Long said, “Many of these changes are targeted to get implemented over the upcoming winter break in hopes to make the performance of the filter better.”