FPF responds to FTC’s COPPA policy statement

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On May 19, 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held a public meeting and approved a policy statement prioritizing enforcement of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) as it relates to edtech. Read the commission’s full policy statement hereand the analysis of FPF below. FPF welcomes the Commission’s prioritization of COPPA enforcement related to … Read more

FPF releases policy summary comparing federal child privacy bills

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June 10, 2022 On Wednesday, July 27, 2022, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee held a markup of the two bills featured in this resource: the Kids Online Safety Act and the Children and Youth Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) . The committee advanced both bills as follows: Important fixes. Both bills garnered … Read more

Let teachers be themselves: Concerns about online teacher harassment and practical tips for self-defense.

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The digital age has introduced powerful tools to harass K-12 teachers online. Harassment can take many forms, but this blog will focus on recording (or leaking) teachers’ personal information and creating fake accounts on social media to impersonate teachers. This blog also includes links to mental health resources for teachers who are feeling cognitively overwhelmed. … Read more

FTC Announces Complaint and Consent Agreement with Chegg

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Starting in May 2022, educational technology (Edtech) companies must by notice The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says it is closely monitoring the industry to ensure student privacy protections in the digital environment. The first of these enforcement actions was announced by the FTC on October 31st. Complaints and consent agreements For Chegg, a company that … Read more

Higher Education Compliance with GLBA Safeguards Rule Updates

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Higher education institutions participating in the U.S. Department of Education’s federal student aid programs should be aware of recent developments. Updates to Safeguards Rule Requirements of Graham Leach Briley method (GLBA), effective on. June 9, 2023. This law typically ensures that financial institutions such as banks maintain appropriate data privacy practices that protect individuals’ non-public … Read more

FPF Student Privacy K12 2023-24 Trainer Application Training

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course schedule October 11th, 2:00pm – 3:30pm ET – Student Privacy Introduction November 9th, 2:00pm – 3:30pm EST – Protecting Student Privacy This module provides an overview of federal student privacy laws, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Student Rights Protection Amendment (PPRA), and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). … Read more

Unraveling the consumer privacy patchwork

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What should edtech companies know about consumer privacy laws? As states continue to pass new consumer privacy laws, edtech companies may be wondering what their compliance obligations will be under these various frameworks. Taken together, these laws create a “patchwork” of different standards. This patchwork could become even more complicated in the upcoming legislative season. … Read more

Checklist to help schools vet AI tools for compliance

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Schools and districts across the country are currently grappling with how to vet new education technology tools that incorporate generative AI. Various organizations have created frameworks designed to help schools consider these tools holistically, but they often say little about how to scrutinize privacy compliance. To address this gap, the Future of Privacy Forum’s Review … Read more

FERPA Exception: Research in Research

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Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or Felpaprotect personally identifiable information contained in education records from unauthorized disclosure. For nearly half a century, this law has given parents privacy rights over their children’s education records. In fact, August 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of FERPA. As FERPA approaches its golden birthday, FPF takes a closer … Read more