February 13, 2014

US Senator Markey
Cares About The Privacy Issue

On January 14, 2014, US Senator Edward J. Markey issued a press release:

As data analytics companies increasingly play a role in the education area, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today announced plans to introduce legislation in the coming weeks to ensure that safeguards are in place for students data shared with third parties. Recent changes to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) have allowed for the increased sharing and use of student data in the private sector. The student data shared with private companies may vary from information such as grades, test scores, and attendance records, to other data such as disabilities, family relationships, and disciplinary data. In October, Senator Markey wrote a letter to the Department of Education (DOE) requesting more information on the privacy rights of parents and children when sensitive student information is shared with third parties. [The DOE finally responded in January, and you can read that here.]

“Putting students’ sensitive information in private hands raises a number of concerns about the privacy rights of parents and their kids, some who may be as young as five years old,” said Senator Markey, a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. “The time to act is now, before parents lose control of their children’s personal information. Parents, not private companies, have the right to control personal information about their children. We should help student scholars make the grade, not help companies make a sale. I look forward to working with my colleagues to introduce and pass this important and timely legislation.”

Senator Markey’s legislation will be guided by the following principles:
  • Student data should never be used for commercial purposes – to market products to kids.
  • Parents should have the right to access the personal information about their children, and amend that information if it’s incorrect, that is held by private companies as they would if the data was held by the school itself.  
  • There must be safeguards put in place to safeguard sensitive student data that is transferred to and then held by private companies. 
  • Private companies must delete the information that they no longer need to enhance educational quality for students.   

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