Abraham Jewett  |  May 23, 2022

Category: Legal News

Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.

Male school boy student using virtual screen hologram technology - children's data privacy - ftc - data security
(Photo Credit: MarceloMayoPH/Shutterstock)

FTC Children’s Data Privacy Education Technology Warning Overview: 

  • Who: The Federal Trade Commission issued a warning to education technology companies on children’s data privacy in a new policy statement released Thursday. 
  • Why: The FTC warned the companies that it will fully enforce privacy laws aimed at protecting the privacy of students. 
  • Where: The FTC’s warning was directed at education technology companies nationwide. 

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warned education technology companies that it will go after them if they do not protect student privacy in a new policy statement. 

The FTC also separately announced that it will hold a workshop in October to address how businesses advertise to children, Law360 reports. 

“The Federal Trade Commission is committed to ensuring that education technology tools and their attendant benefits do not become an excuse to ignore critical privacy protections for children,” the agency says in the policy statement. 

The commission passed the new policy statement on education technology and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act in an unanimous 5-0 vote, Law360 reports. 

In its policy statement, the FTC said it intends to “fully enforce” children’s privacy laws that place limits on the use, retention and collection of children’s data, along with other data security requirements. 

FTC Warns Education Technology Companies To Follow Privacy Laws

The FTC says these privacy laws apply equally to companies that provide education technology services to schools. 

“Children should not have to needlessly hand over their data and forfeit their privacy in order to do their schoolwork or participate in remote learning, especially given the wide and increasing adoption of ed tech tools,” the agency says. “Going forward, the commission will closely scrutinize the providers of these services and will not hesitate to act where providers fail to meet their legal obligations with respect to children’s privacy.”

The FTC also announced that it will host a virtual workshop in October that will focus on examining the best safeguards for children as they are faced with a “growing array of manipulative marketing practices that make it difficult or impossible for children to distinguish ads from entertainment in digital media,” Law360 reports. 

In March, President Joe Biden asked Congress to help prevent social media companies from collecting the data of underage users and targeting them with ad campaigns. 

Has your child had their privacy violated by an education technology company? Let us know in the comments! 


Don’t Miss Out!

Check out our list of Class Action Lawsuits and Class Action Settlements you may qualify to join!


Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:

We tell you about cash you can claim EVERY WEEK! Sign up for our free newsletter.

2 thoughts onFTC Announces Updates To Children’s Data Privacy Protections

  1. Julianna says:

    My child sensitivity medical information was breach also my from partnership health insurance

  2. Barbara L Rogers says:

    please add me

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. By submitting your comment and contact information, you agree to receive marketing emails from Top Class Actions regarding this and/or similar lawsuits or settlements, and/or to be contacted by an attorney or law firm to discuss the details of your potential case at no charge to you if you qualify. Required fields are marked *

Please note: Top Class Actions is not a settlement administrator or law firm. Top Class Actions is a legal news source that reports on class action lawsuits, class action settlements, drug injury lawsuits and product liability lawsuits. Top Class Actions does not process claims and we cannot advise you on the status of any class action settlement claim. You must contact the settlement administrator or your attorney for any updates regarding your claim status, claim form or questions about when payments are expected to be mailed out.