Ķvlog

Ed-Tech Policy Report Roundup

Student Privacy

By Michele Molnar — June 05, 2018 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

The nonprofit Common Sense found what it called “a widespread lack of transparency, as well as inconsistent privacy and security practices” in its three-year review of how student information is collected, used, and disclosed on some of the most popular applications and services in education technology.

Only 10 percent of the more than 100 ed-tech applications and services evaluated by the organization met minimum criteria for transparency and quality in their privacy policies, based on reporting from about 140 schools and districts in a consortium that works with Common Sense.

For example, half of the ed-tech products reviewed allow children’s information to be publicly visible, 38 percent reported they may use children’s information for advertising, and 29 percent show behavioral ads based on the child’s use of the service.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the June 06, 2018 edition of Education Week as Student Privacy

Events

College & Workforce Readiness Webinar How High Schools Can Prepare Students for College and Career
Explore how schools are reimagining high school with hands-on learning that prepares students for both college and career success.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School Climate & Safety Webinar
GoGuardian and Google: Proactive AI Safety in Schools
Learn how to safely adopt innovative AI tools while maintaining support for student well-being. 
Content provided by 
Reading & Literacy K-12 Essentials Forum Supporting Struggling Readers in Middle and High School
Join this free virtual event to learn more about policy, data, research, and experiences around supporting older students who struggle to read.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Ed-Tech Policy More States Are Moving to Ban Cellphones at School. Should They?
While cellphone bans are popular with many Ķvlog, some researchers say there's not much evidence yet that these policies work.
A student uses their cell phone after unlocking the pouch that secures it from use during the school day at Bayside Academy on Aug. 16, 2024, in San Mateo, Calif.
A student uses a cellphone after unlocking the pouch that secures it from use during the school day at Bayside Academy in San Mateo, Calif., on Aug. 16, 2024.
Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle via AP
Ed-Tech Policy What Schools Look Like Without the Cellphone Distraction
Student behavior has improved and disciplinary referrals have gone down, administrators say.
7 min read
School kids placing putting phones away during class
Dobrila Vignjevic/E+
Ed-Tech Policy FCC’s ‘Net Neutrality’ Rules Struck Down. Could This Mean Slower Internet for Schools?
Many schools fear that without the policy protection internet service providers could slow down the flow of content to schools.
Meg James, Los Angeles Times
5 min read
A home router and internet switch are displayed on June 19, 2018, in East Derry, N.H. Telecommunications industry groups on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, ended their bid to block California's net neutrality law that prevents broadband providers from throttling service. In a federal court filing in Sacramento, the groups and California Attorney General Rob Bonta jointly agreed to dismiss the case.
A home router and internet switch are displayed on June 19, 2018, in East Derry, N.H.
Charles Krupa/AP
Ed-Tech Policy Ed. Dept. Recommends These 3 Principles to Develop School Cellphone Policies
Cellphone policies should be developed in consultation with students, teachers, and parents, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said.
4 min read
Photograph of a white teen using a cellphone in the classroom.
iStock/Getty