Are contracts allowed to infringe on your right to privacy?

[Seth]

My school has a program where they sign out school issued iPads (after a fee is paid) and in the contract, it says they're allowed to access it via remote management, change anything they please, and log in to pre-logged in accounts such as Skype, Facebook, or anything else. (Paraphrased).

Are they allowed to do this? Are contracts allowed to infringe on your right to privacy?

[BekindtoAnimals22]

Yes, if you agree to it.

[divot II]

The iPads belong to the school. Think about it.

[Pal]

Yes they certainly are. Since they are the owners of record, if the contractee (any student) used the thing to commit a crime, no matter how small, the school could be implicated. A contract sets the conditions of the transaction and as long as it doesn't pledge you to do something illegal they can set what ever conditions they think benefit them.

[Ruben Nørgaard]

No, they cannot do this. Even if you sign saying you agree to it, the legal agreement does not trump your human rights. I would suggest trying to negotiate that clause of the agreement and make it known to them that you know your rights. If needs be, just refuse to sign and don't take the iPad. If you have already paid, demand your money back or negotiate the agreement you are being asked to sign. If they won't budge, I wouldn't touch the iPad if I were you. If you have already paid (but not signed) demand your money back but if they won't give it back, threaten them with legal action and maek sure to follow through with it.