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- Title
COPPA AND EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES: THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL ONLINE PRIVACY PROTECTIONS FOR STUDENTS.
- Authors
Skowronski, Diana S.
- Abstract
The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is a federal privacy law that strictly governs how websites collect and distribute personal information from children under the age of thirteen. Children who use Internet sites require additional privacy protections because children may not fully understand the risks associated with releasing their personal information online. Despite recognizing the need for stringent privacy protections for children, a major flaw in the statute's application to schools undercuts the purpose of providing children with an extra layer of protection. The problem is that COPPA does not apply to schools as entities, meaning administrators or teachers can consent to the release of a child's personal information without the child's parent ever knowing. Ultimately, COPPA protections weaken once children step into school and begin using educational websites or technologies at the instruction of their teachers. COPPA needs reworking, and the statute's shortcomings have become especially clear after the COVID-19 pandemic forced millions of students online. COPPA's school exception makes it a flawed statute to begin with, and its application in an environment where virtual learning and distance education are the new normal makes COPPA outdated and ineffective. This Note argues for a comprehensive federal privacy law with stronger enforcement measures that can withstand changes in technology and its ever-evolving role in our lives.
- Subjects
UNITED States. Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998; COVID-19 pandemic; EDUCATIONAL websites; SCHOOL administration; EDUCATIONAL technology
- Publication
Georgia State University Law Review, 2022, Vol 38, Issue 4, p1
- ISSN
8755-6847
- Publication type
Article