Education is changing. New technologies are allowing information to flow within schools and beyond, enabling new learning environments and providing new tools to improve the way teachers teach and the way students learn. Data-driven innovations are bringing advances in teaching and learning but are accompanied by concerns about how education data, particularly student-generated data, are being collected and used. The Future of Privacy Forum believes that there are critical improvements to learning that are enabled by data and technology, and that the use of data and technology is not antithetical to protecting student privacy. In order to facilitate this balance, FPF equips and connects advocates, industry, policymakers, and practitioners with substantive practices, policies, and other solutions to address education privacy challenges at both the K-12 and higher ed levels. For more information and resources, please visit Student Privacy Compass, a one-stop shop for information, news, and analysis on maintaining student data privacy.
California Age-Appropriate Design Code Aims to Address Growing Concern About Children’s Online Privacy and Safety
Authors: Chloe Altieri, Kewa Jiang Kewa Jiang, CIPP/US, is a 2021 graduate of USC Gould School of Law and a Student Contractor with FPF’s Youth and Education Privacy team. On May 26, 2022, AB-2273, the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (ADCA) unanimously passed the California Assembly and moved to the Senate for consideration. California Assembly […]
FPF Releases Policy Brief Comparing Federal Child Privacy Bills
Future of Privacy Forum staff compare varied approaches of the four bills On Wednesday, July 27, 2022, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a markup of two bills this resource highlights: The Kids Online Safety Act and the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0). The Committee advanced both bills […]
FTC Requires Algorithmic Disgorgement as a COPPA Remedy for First Time
On March 4, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a settlement agreement with WW International and its subsidiary, Kurbo (Kurbo by WW), after charging the companies with violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) for improperly collecting health information and other data from children as young as eight years […]
The State of Play – Issue Brief: COPPA 101
The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), enacted by Congress in 1998, aims to give parents more control over the information collected about their children online. The law requires operators of games, websites, apps, and other online services catered to users under the age of 13 to obtain permission from a child’s parent before collecting information about […]
Future of Privacy Forum Releases Student Monitoring Explainer
On October 27, FPF released a new infographic, “Understanding Student Monitoring,” depicting the variety of reasons why schools monitor student digital activities, what types of student data are being monitored, and how that data could be used. While student monitoring is not new, it has gained significant traction recently due to the shift to remote learning […]
Talking to Kids About Privacy: Advice from a Panel of International Experts
Now more than ever, as kids spend much of their lives online to learn, explore, play, and connect, it is essential to ensure their knowledge and understanding of online safety and privacy keeps pace. On May 13th, the Future of Privacy Forum and Common Sense assembled a panel of youth privacy experts from around the […]
FPF Welcomes New Members to the Youth & Education Privacy Team
We are thrilled to announce two new members of FPF’s Youth & Education Privacy team. The new staff – Joanna Grama and Jim Siegl – will help expand FPF’s technical assistance and training, resource creation and distribution, and state and federal legislative tracking. You can read more about Joanna and Jim below. Please join us in […]
Future of Privacy Forum Releases New Youth Privacy and Data Protection Infographic
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) today released a new infographic, Youth Privacy and Data Protection 101 which provides an overview of the opportunities and risks for kids online, along with potential protection strategies. It also features young people’s voices from around the world on their preferences and attitudes toward privacy. “We […]
FPF Testifies on Maryland Student Data Privacy Bill
Amelia Vance, Director of Youth and Education Privacy for FPF, recently testified before the Maryland House Ways and Means Committee on HB 1062. The legislation proposes several updates to the state’s Student Data Privacy Act, and an extension of the Maryland Student Data Privacy Council, which Vance was asked to serve on when it was […]
Future of Privacy Forum, National Education Association Call for Review of Mandatory Video Policies in Online Learning
The Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) and National Education Association (NEA) today released new recommendations for the use of video conferencing platforms in online learning. The recommendations ask schools and districts to reconsider mandatory video requirements that create unique privacy and equity risks for students, including increased data collection, an implied lack of trust, and conflating students’ school and home lives. […]