Fresno Unified Superintendent Hanson admits to using Cyber Dust privacy app
Fresno Unified Superintendent Michael Hanson says he used a controversial privacy phone app to conduct school district business, but denies allegations that it was used to cover up his involvement in no-bid contracts that are now the subject of a federal investigation.
Hanson said Tuesday that he and a small group of senior staff used Cyber Dust – an app that automatically erases any record of text messages, leaving no digital footprint – in 2014 for less than a month. It was done as an experiment, he said.
“We used it as a trial run to see if it would help us do our work better and more effectively, and it didn’t,” Hanson said. “Nothing we used it for had anything to do with things that are now the topic of the grand jury investigation, and the use of this app will be fully disclosed when we turn over and disclose all of our documents.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office served the district with a grand jury subpoena last month, requesting a wide range of documents pertaining to Fresno Unified’s involvement in no-bid construction contracts – including district officials’ personal phone records.
“I think with respect to technology, normal is always changing,” Hanson said. “But let me be very, very clear: When we used it, we were totally within our district policy around electronic records in that we don’t retain instant or text messages of any type. It’s not something we archive.
“But that has all changed from the moment we got notified by the grand jury. We have been active in making sure we’re preserving everything they’ve asked for.”
NOTHING WE USED IT FOR HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THINGS THAT ARE NOW THE TOPIC OF THE GRAND JURY INVESTIGATION.
Fresno Unified Superintendent Michael Hanson on Cyber Dust
The use of Cyber Dust was discussed in a closed session school board meeting last week, but trustees were unsure Tuesday who actually had used the app.
Hanson would not name the other staffers who also used the Cyber Dust app, but he said no trustees were involved.
Chief Operations Officer Karin Temple said she did not use the app and was not aware it was being used. Chief Financial Officer Ruthie Quinto could not be reached.
Trustees Brooke Ashjian, Carol Mills, Luis Chavez, Janet Ryan and Christopher De La Cerda also said they have never used Cyber Dust. Trustees Cal Johnson and Valerie Davis did not return phone calls.
Ashjian said trustees were left in the dark about who used the app and why it was used.
“For a district official to have that on their phone and communicate with other districtFresno Unified Superintendent Hanson admits to using Cyber Dust privacy app | Fresno Bee: