Dive Brief:

• Author and parent advocate Sue Scheff​ penned a Huffington Post column analyzing Google's announcement that it will stop mining student data and questioning its transparency.  
• The announcement that the tech giant would no longer scan student emails for advertising data came just days before details were revealed regarding the beta for its latest free education app, Google Classroom.  
• Scheff quotes "Privacy Surgeon" Simon Davis as she questions why the announcement was limited to Google's Gmail service and whether or not this means it will continue to mine student data through apps like Google Docs.   

Dive Insight:

Scheff contends that even if Google is no longer using student data for advertising purposes, its policy can leave room for other types of data use. Regarding the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), she asserts that school teachers electing to use a Google app without a parent's permission risk violating the law if information is then used inappropriately.  

Perhaps the three biggest takeaways: Learn more about COPPA and its sister laws,  FERPA and CIPA; push for "simple laws" that protect student data from profit-driven entities; and proactively learn how data is being utilized and protected.