Public commenter warns lawmakers about student data risks from free EdTech vendors

During the meeting’s public-comment period, John Eppolito of ProtectNevadachildren.org urged the committee to consider the privacy risks associated with free educational-technology vendors that collect student data. Eppolito said free EdTech platforms are “paid with student data” and described Edmodo — which he said once served tens of millions of U.S. students — as an example of an EdTech vendor that was acquired by a Chinese buyer and later shut down in February 2022. He said parents are often not informed about the transfer or use of student data and that experts testified before Congress about concerns that student-data profiles collected in classrooms can be merged with data gathered outside the classroom.

Eppolito asked the committee to request further information; the committee asked him to provide additional materials to committee staff for the record.