Indian student compelled to use educational application that collected precise location data
The Indian Education Ministry’s Diksha app, the government’s main means of delivering online education during the pandemic and downloaded by over 10 million students and teachers, was found by HRW to collect children’s precise location, including current and last known location. The app gave Google access to location data through two embedded SDKs and was […]
Students using government educational platform Rumah Belajar had advertising identifiers and location information shared with Facebook and Google
Rumah Belajar, a website and app developed and operated by Indonesia’s Ministry of Education and Culture for preschool, primary and secondary students during the pandemic, was observed sending children’s Android advertising IDs to Google and Facebook. Its privacy policy says the collected device identifiers may be used to show advertisements and to advertise on third-party […]
Students using Kelas Pintar educational application had contact information exposed to advertising technology systems
Kelas Pintar, a privately developed Indonesian learning app apparently designed for children with an estimated 1 million installs, was found by HRW to have the ability to collect children’s advertising IDs, IMEI numbers, contacts and contacts’ photos, and camera access. It embeds Google and Facebook analytics SDKs and Adjust. Its privacy policy does not disclose […]
Students using Edmodo had contact information and communication data accessible to third parties – Egypt
HRW’s analysis of the Edmodo Android app, one of the products endorsed by Egypt’s government for learning during Covid-19 school closures, found it had the ability to collect advertising IDs, contacts and contacts’ photos, phone numbers, call logs, and camera and microphone access. The app is privately developed, apparently designed for children, and had over […]
Students using Stoodi had personal information captured through undisclosed key logging
Children’s names and search entries were captured through key logging and transmitted to a third-party advertising company. Even if children decided not to submit their information, the captured data was still sent automatically. Stoodi is a website recommended by the São Paulo Education Ministry and was one of 16 sites HRW found using key logging. […]
Canadian children’s educational website created behavioral advertising profiles of child users
CBC Kids, a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation website recommended by Quebec’s Education Ministry for pre-primary and primary children, sent children’s data to 20 advertising and marketing companies through 29 ad trackers and 15 third-party cookies. Seven of those companies are registered in California as data brokers, and six offer services that match website visitors to identity […]
Teacher in Chile had educational platform accounts activated without informed consent
A fifth-grade teacher in Santiago said the Huechuraba education department activated platform accounts for teachers and students and sent teachers only an institutional email. She said teachers were never asked to sign or accept anything, and were not told how the platforms handle privacy.
Students using Edmodo had contact information and communication data accessible to third parties – Colombia
HRW’s analysis of the Edmodo Android app, one of the products endorsed by Colombia’s government for learning during Covid-19 school closures, found it had the ability to collect advertising IDs, contacts and contacts’ photos, phone numbers, call logs, and camera and microphone access. The app is privately developed, apparently designed for children, and had over […]
Australian mother relied on school-recommended educational technologies without information about privacy risks
A mother of two in Murwillumbah, New South Wales, said she took part in remote education on trust that the school had looked into the privacy implications, and that she was not asked for consent or told how her children’s rights might be protected or affected. She said she saw little the family could do […]