Safeguarding personal data, especially in an educational environment, is a major concern, and for good reasons.
As the world increasingly relies more and more on technology, including educational technology, the possibility of student privacy risks is intensifying. School districts must set the appropriate security measures in place to protect not only their students but their faculty, staff, finances, and records. The amount of personal information that online platforms, educational software, and other digital technologies are collecting on the general public and students is outrageous (U.S. Department of Education, 2023). Within any educational facility, sensitive information such as medical history and family data or daily records of attendance and grades is typically recorded and stored online. The Department of Education (2023) states that schools are becoming the leading target of cyberattacks due to the amount of data that can be attained. The concern with breached information is how this data can be used against individuals, such as cyberbullying, identity theft, or held as ransom (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2023). They furthermore damage the relationships between the educational organization and employees, parents, and students. This ultimately can impede the district’s ultimate goals of advancing education and student success says the Department of Homeland Security (2023).
The incorporation of highly advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence, has become the motivation for educational facilities and other governmental organizations to intensify their data privacy guidelines. New regulations that address future advancements must address how student data is obtained, used, archived, and protected (Federal Trade Commission (FTC), 2020). The FTC also states that businesses and organizations must increase their transparency regarding data management. We may not understand where technology will be in the coming years; however, we do know that safeguarding data, especially for students, will always be an essential concern as we plan for the future.
References
Federal Trade Commission. (2020). Complying with COPPA: Frequently Asked Questions. https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/complying-coppa-frequently-asked-questions
U.S. Department of Education. (2023). Data Security: K-12 and Higher Education. Protecting Student Privacy; U.S. Department of Education. https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/Security
U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (2023). Cybersecurity for K-12 Education. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). https://www.cisa.gov/K12Cybersecurity