3 Points from an Education Tech Expert on Student Data Security

Who is the expert? James Steyer

•  Founder and CEO of Common Sense Media, a San Francisco-based not-for-profit that, among other things, studies and advocates for children’s online privacy.
• He is a a former civil rights attorney
• Common Sense Media helped push 2014 California legislation, the Student Online Personal Information Protection Act, that bars operators of educational websites aimed at kids from amassing data profiles on their users

What are his points to protect student data?

• One, students’ personal information shall be used solely for educational purposes 
• Two, students’ personal information or online activity shall not be used to target advertising to students or families
• Three, schools and education technology providers shall adopt appropriate data security, retention and destruction policies.

Does he support federal student data security legislation or state based legislation?

He really likes his California legislation. Agrees that there needs to be uniformity, but that protection for student data should be high like the California model.

​The Recorder | Proponent of California Student Data Security Legislation