Associated Press reports that Carroll County (Maryland) students are now having their palms scanned to pay for their lunches. What caught my eye in their report was that about 20% of parents have reportedly declined to participate in the program because of privacy concerns. That strikes me as a somewhat higher percentage of refusal than…
Category: Youth & Schools
Why Facebook’s Argument Against Privacy For Minors Is Doomed
Dave Copeland argues that Facebook’s First Amendment objections to strengthening COPPA are “weak, self-serving, and bound to fail.” Facebook had submitted a letter arguing that because the Commission’s proposal would “restrict the ability of users who are 13 years old or older to ‘Like,’ comment on, or recommend the websites or services on which those plugins are integrated,…
Universities inconsistent on student privacy
An editorial in the Press-Citizen expresses concerns that universities increasingly misuse or misapply FERPA to shield records from public disclosure by declaring them “educational records.” You can read the editorial here. The paper had previously reported on some of the inconsistent responses they received to requests under open records law.
Governor Brown signs online privacy laws
Patrick McGreevy reports: College students will have free digital access to many textbooks, receive more warning about tuition hikes and have their social media accounts protected from snooping university officials under measures approved by Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday. The new privacy laws also prohibit employers from asking workers or job applicants for their email…