Lightspeed Serves Up Screened YouTube Videos

Lightspeed Systems has released the Educational Video Library, a new tool that allows teachers to review YouTube content and choose files to submit to the district administrator for approval. Those files receiving district approval are then made accessible through a portal on the district's local network. In addition, all YouTube community information and external user comments are blocked, ensuring that nothing reaches the classroom that hasn't first been reviewed for appropriateness. The announcement was made at last week's National Education Computing Conference (NECC) in Washington, DC.

"I can't blame the teachers for wanting to use YouTube as an instructional resource; there are countless educational videos on YouTube," said Zach Lloyd, network systems specialist for the Greenwood School District 50 in Greenwood, SC.  "Teachers can either submit videos while at home or make a note of the URL and submit them on campus.  Reviewing falls on either IT staff or our instructional technology specialist, depending on who gets to it first."

More and more, educators and students are recognizing the value of allowing Web 2.0 technologies like YouTube contribute to classroom learning. "Students are able to add links to the videos in PowerPoint presentations, and staff are adding a large variety of videos in all subjects to EVL," said Andy Blanchette, a technology specialist for Sartell-St. Stephen Public Schools in Sartell, MN.

EVL is included as part of the current version of Lightspeed's Total Traffic Control network security application, which allows administrators to activate the EVL at will and set permissions for video submission and review. A spokesperson for Lightspeed said that since its introduction in February, more than 4,000 YouTube videos have been approved and shared within the education community.

About the Author

Scott Aronowitz is a freelance writer based in Las Vegas. He has covered the technology, advertising, and entertainment sectors for seven years. He can be reached here.

Featured

  • DreamBox Math

    Discovery Education Announces Updates to Experience, DreamBox Math

    K-12 learning solution provider Discovery Education has announced enhancements to its Discovery Education Experience and DreamBox Math products, designed to create a more personalized, engaging learning experience for students.

  • abstract pattern of cybersecurity, ai and cloud imagery

    Report Identifies Malicious Use of AI in Cloud-Based Cyber Threats

    A recent report from OpenAI identifies the misuse of artificial intelligence in cybercrime, social engineering, and influence operations, particularly those targeting or operating through cloud infrastructure. In "Disrupting Malicious Uses of AI: June 2025," the company outlines how threat actors are weaponizing large language models for malicious ends — and how OpenAI is pushing back.

  • digital dashboard featuring a shield icon, graphs, a world map, and network nodes

    IBM Launches Agentic AI Governance and Security Platform

    IBM has introduced a new software stack for enterprise IT teams tasked with managing the complex governance and security challenges posed by autonomous AI systems.

  • laptop and fish hook

    Security Researchers Identify Generative AI 'Vishing' Attack

    A new report from researchers at Ontinue's Cyber Defense Center has identified a complex, multi-stage cyber attack that leveraged social engineering, remote access tools, and signed binaries to infiltrate and persist within a target network.