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.
Featured
FPF Files COPPA Comments with the Federal Trade Commission
Today, the Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) filed comments with the Federal Trade Commission (Commission) in response to its request for comment on the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) proposed rule. Read our comments in full. As technology evolves, so must the regulations designed to protect children online, and FPF commends the Commission’s efforts […]
FPF Offers Input on Massachusetts Student Data Privacy Proposal
On October 30, FPF provided testimony before a hearing of the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Education regarding H.532/S.280, an Act Relative to Student and Educator Data Privacy. Read our written testimony in full. Our testimony focused on highlighting relevant FPF resources for policymakers (including a case study on student privacy in Utah, our state student […]
FPF Submits Comments with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) on Kids Online Health and Safety
On November 15, the Future of Privacy Forum filed comments with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in response to their request for comment on Kids Online Health and Safety as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Interagency Task Force on Kids Online Health & Safety. Read the comments here. Young people increasingly engage with […]
FPF Weighs In on the Responsible Use and Adoption of Artificial Intelligence Technologies in New York City Classrooms
Last week, Future of Privacy Forum provided testimony at a joint public oversight hearing before the New York City Council Committees on Technology and Education on “The Role of Artificial Intelligence, Emerging Technology, and Computer Instruction in New York City Public Schools.” Specifically, FPF urged the Council to consider the following recommendations for the responsible adoption […]
FPF Submits Comments to the FTC on the Application for a New Parental Consent Method
Today, the Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) submitted comments to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regarding the use of “Privacy-Protective Facial Age Estimation” as a potential mechanism for verifiable parental consent (VPC) under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Rule. FPF observes: In June, FPF published The State of Play: Is Verifiable Parental Consent […]
Utah Considers Proposals to Require Web Services to Verify Users’ Ages, Obtain Parental Consent to Process Teens’ Data
Update: On March 23, Governor Spencer Cox signed SB 152 and HB 311. While amendments were made to both bills, the concerns raised in FPF’s analysis remain. SB 152 leaves critical provisions, such as methods to verify age or obtain parental consent, to be established in further rulemaking, but questions remain regarding whether these can […]
FPF Letter to NY State Legislature
On Friday, June 14, FPF submitted a letter to the New York State Assembly and Senate supporting a well-crafted moratorium on facial recognition systems for security uses in public schools.
FPF Comments on Minnesota Student Privacy Bill HF 1507
Yesterday, the Future of Privacy Forum submitted written comments to members of the Minnesota House of Representatives in response to the pending student privacy bill, the Student Data Privacy Act (HF 1507). FPF expressed concerns about the proposed language of the bill, which would create conflicting requirements for schools and education technology companies, and likely cause unintended consequences for Minnesota schools and students.
FPF Comments on the FTC and Department of Education Student Privacy and Ed Tech Workshop
On Friday, November 17th, 2017, the Future of Privacy Forum filed comments with the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Education in conjunction with their upcoming workshop, to be held on December 1st. The workshop will examine the privacy issues inherent to the use of educational technology in schools, and consider the intersection of the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).