Caveat – this article was spawned by a podcast that featured Dr Sonia Livingston (1) and a recently 2024 publish research paper she participated in specific to Google Classroom.(2)
As technology becomes increasingly integrated into our education system, understandable concerns are growing about the impact on children’s privacy and data protection. Schools are becoming “datafied,” with children’s personal information being collected, shared, and at time even monetized by tech companies without the user’s knowledge.
Google Classroom, a popular platform used by schools, offers a range of services that seem too good to be true. It’s FREE, easy to use, and provides a one-stop-shop for teachers to digitally manage their classrooms. However, with this convenience comes a cost – Google is collecting and monetizing children’s data, often without the teacher or student’s knowledge or consent.
Studies have revealed that when teachers integrate links to external platforms like YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram into their Google Classroom lessons, once the student click the link it now takes them outside the Google ecosystem, their personal information is now being shared with third-party companies which financial benefits both Google and that third-party. This data is then exploited to fuel commercial data ecosystems, thus compromising children’s privacy.
Alarmingly, schools and teachers don’t understand this data sharing arrangement, and children are not informed about the risks of accessing these services when clicking links within Google Classroom. However, research has also shown that educators using Google Classroom can mitigate this risk by embedding images or videos directly into the platform, rather than linking out to external sites. This approach prevents students from being directed to third-party applications, thereby better protecting their data from being exploited by commercial data ecologies, which is a significant threat to data privacy.
The tech giants behind these platforms have vast resources and expertise, making it difficult for schools and parents to navigate the complex issues surrounding data protection. As Dr Livingston stated, “It’s a David vs Goliath” situation, with children’s rights and privacy hanging in the balance. Given that school budgets are tight, and Google Classroom is free, a digital resignation to this privacy concern is often tolerated.
A “digital resignation” refers to the tendency of individuals, especially children, to accept and resign themselves to the fact that their personal information and data will be collected, shared, and used by companies and organizations in the onlife world. This resignation is often due to a sense of powerlessness, lack of control, or lack of understanding about how their data is being used.
In the context of the privacy concern mentioned in this article, “digital resignation” means that children and even educators may feel that it’s inevitable or unavoidable that their data will be collected and shared with third-party companies, and that they have no choice but to accept this reality.
This concept is problematic because it implies a lack of agency and control over one’s own data and privacy. It also perpetuates a culture of acceptance and complacency, rather than encouraging individuals to demand better data protection practices and advocate for their privacy rights against the big data companies.
Dr Livingstone argues, based on the evidence-based research, that we need to adopt a children’s rights approach to technology in the classroom, recognizing that children have the right to both protection and privacy – we here at the White Hatter agree! This means being educated and transparent about data collection and the use of all digital platforms being utilized in the classroom, obtaining informed consent, and ensuring that children’s data is not exploited for commercial gain. There are online tools like the “Privacy Compass” that can help (3)
As we move forward, Dr. Livingstone stated that we need to prioritize children’s privacy and data protection in our schools. This includes:
- Being cautious of “free” services that may come with hidden costs to our privacy
- Reading and understanding terms and conditions – often very difficult to do without a law degree and even then, very challenging
- Obtaining informed consent from educators, parents, and children before a platform is adopted for use in a classroom
- Ensuring transparency and accountability in data collection and use – something that social media platforms are hesitant to do thus why legislation is needed to force their compliance
- Educators – don’t place external links into your Google Classroom documents. Embed any video or pictures directly into the document instead
- Supporting schools and teachers in navigating these complex issues through education – something that we can help with here at the White Hatter.
By working together, we can create a safer and more equitable digital environment for our children to learn and thrive.
Thank you to Dr Livingstone for their continued work in this area of research. Knowledge and the understanding and application of that knowledge is power!
Digital Food For Thought
The White Hatter
Facts Not Fear, Enlighten Not Frighten, Enlighten Not Frighten, Know Tech Not No Tech
References:
1/ https://open.spotify.com/episode/2gpHqEErhsX1X8i0idfK0g
2/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666557324000351
