Blog Cedo: Digital Learning Tools And Privacy.

Blog Cedo: Digital Learning Tools And Privacy.

Many schools depend on large technology companies for their digital education. Many of these companies collect data through student accounts. For example, through spell checkers or Youtube videos. The Coalition Fair Digital Education wants to make fair and independent digital education possible. Ouders & Onderwijs asked CEDO to write a guest blog about this.

Data collected through accounts

Large technologycompanies can collect data through children’s accounts. This personal information can then be used by those companies. Even if a service at school complies with the General Data Protection Regulation of the European Union, data can still be collected through ‘additional services’ such as Youtube videos or the advanced spell checker. Even if these companies follow the General Data Protection Regulation properly within the school, the data is still collected once children go online outside school.  

School ends up paying too much 

Once a school uses services from these large companies, it is very hard to stop and switch to another system. Meanwhile, these companies can ask for more money every year, so the school ends up paying too much. Or they can collect even more data.  

Not digitally skilled 

Also, children do not learn that there are other computer programs and applications if school only works with services from large technology companies. Children do not develop true digital skills. They only learn to use a few familiar programs. This makes the whole society more dependent on certain companies.  

Powerful search engines 

Children also do not learn to think critically about the power of these companies. And that power is big: they decide the results when we use their search engine (and thus what we read and know). They decide what recommendations we get after watching a video (more of those videos). They build a model of reality based on what you do on the internet and decide which information or service is accessible to you. Without you knowing how that model looks and even if the model is not correct.  

Working differently with computers 

It endangers values like democracy and equality. If children do not learn at school that there are other ways to work with computers, the power of technology companies only grows. Digital education is about much more than just following the General Data Protection Regulation inside the school.  

Privacy of digital learning tools 

CEDO wants to make students, parents, and education staff aware of these issues and works for the development of digital learning and support tools that are privacy-friendly. And that are based on the values that the school, parents, and students care about. If you want to know more or contribute yourself, visit: https://eerlijkdigitaalonderwijs.nl.  

We want to thank CEDO for updating Ouders & Onderwijs and writing this guest blog.