Finding a student who doesn’t use social media is like searching for a needle in a haystack. It likely won’t happen. That’s why it’s imperative that district chief technology officers and other tech-based leaders understand the importance of teaching students best practices surrounding online safety. Because while many tech companies claim they don’t sell user data, they most certainly do, a new analysis suggests.
A report published in June by Common Sense Media, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting children and families through information and education, reveals that some of the most popular apps and online platforms, including some used in K12 schools like Meta, Facebook’s parent company, are “likely” sharing and selling user data.
After analyzing the privacy policies of more than 200 apps and platforms, the researchers discovered that nearly three-fourths are monetizing kids’ and families’ personal data in some way. For instance, in their analysis of Meta’s “Privacy Policy” and “About Facebook Ads” page, it clearly states, “We don’t sell any of your information to anyone, and we never will.” Additionally, Meta includes a supplemental “United States Regional Privacy Notice,” which reads, “We don’t ‘share’ your Personal Information, as defined in the California Consumer Privacy Act (‘CCPA’). We also don’t sell any of your Personal Information, and we never will.”
But the researchers found fault with Meta’s promise.
“Being a social media company, Meta’s disclosure that they do not sell or share data under the CCPA is counterintuitive, because by design the entire business model of Meta and similar social media companies is built on the monetization of user’s behavioral data for tracking and personalized advertising,” the report reads.
“We need to hold companies accountable when they don’t follow the rules or when they mislead by saying they don’t sell data,” Head of Privacy at Common Sense Media Girard Kelly said in a statement. “If companies can say one thing but do another, that’s unfair and deceptive to parents and caregivers, because it impacts their decision-making ability—ad the practice is not reasonably avoidable if nearly three-quarters of the industry are monetizing data in some way.”
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Advice for K12 tech leaders
While you can’t keep students off of social media or from using their school-issued devices, you can instill best practices and habits so they can utilize such tools safely and effectively.
A similar analysis conducted by researchers at the University of Chicago and New York University concluded that school administrators lack the resources to properly assess privacy and security issues surrounding popular edtech tools. According to their analysis of more than 15,500 K12 public school and district domains, some of the most popular websites, including Zoom, are leveraging overreaching tracking technologies. For instance, at least 7.4% of sites tracked user behavior by recording everything they did on those sites, which includes links they interacted with, images they hovered over and more.
As a tech leader, the best thing you can do is educate your students and staff on how to navigate these edtech tools and online platforms efficiently. Tech companies’ data privacy policies may not pose an immediate risk to your students or staff, but it’s important that students know how to navigate the digital space both in and out of the classroom. To gain a better understanding of how to incorporate safer edtech policies and practices for your institution, consider consulting some of these resources from the U.S. Department of Education:
- Building Technology Infrastructure for Learning Guide
- Cyber Safety Quick Links for Protecting Youth: Empowering Students to Become Responsible Digital Citizens and Engage Online Safety
- Cybersecurity Considerations for K12 Schools and School Districts
- Data Security and Monitoring Training Best Practices
