Jack Becker writes: COVID-19 and Edtech Platforms COVID-19 has presented obstacles to in-person learning, with many schools opting to use education technology (“edtech”) platforms as a solution. However, concerns about student privacy have emerged, including those related to commercial companies entering the education sector. To meet the requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy…
Category: Youth & Schools
Singapore refutes suggestions software on students’ devices tracks personal data
Eileen Yu reports: A software installed on students’ devices in Singapore captures only the user’s online activities as a safeguard against access to “objectionable material” and does not track personal data, such as location and passwords. This assertion from the government comes after an online petition surfaced, urging support to block the implementation of the…
The Supreme Court’s Next Big Free Speech Showdown
Damon Root reports: In Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969), the U.S. Supreme Court forbade public school officials from punishing students for exercising their First Amendment rights on school grounds unless the speech at issue “would materially and substantially interfere with the requirements of appropriate discipline and in the operation of the school.” In…
TikTok Reviews Italian Data Watchdog’s Order to Block Accounts
Sharon Cho reports: TikTok, ByteDance Ltd.’s social media app, said the company is reviewing the Italian data-protection authority’s orders to block unverified accounts of younger users. The privacy watchdog told TikTok on Friday to block the accounts of users in the country whose age it couldn’t verify at least until Feb. 15, according to a statement by the…