Federal Trade Commission
Ed-Tech Policy
Schools Need More Money for Students' Home Internet, Education Groups Tell Congress
Most K-12 students are back to learning in-person, but the homework gap persists and millions of students could lose their home internet.
Classroom Technology
Popular Interactive Math Game Prodigy Is Target of Complaint to Federal Trade Commission
Prodigy is “aggressively” marketing to children, say 22 education and consumer protection organizations. The company disputes the claims.
Federal
News in Brief
FTC Hits Company With Record Fine Over Children's Privacy
When children from across the country were signing up in huge numbers for an app to create their own lip-syncing and dance videos, they were also being asked to turn over personal information without their parents knowing about it, in violation of the law, according to federal officials.
Privacy & Security
YouTube Accused of Targeting Children With Ads, Violating Federal Privacy Law
Consumer advocacy groups filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, alleging that YouTube has used children's personal information to target ads.
Data
U.S. Agencies Grapple With Student-Data-Privacy Guidance for Schools
The Federal Trade Commission and the Education Department recently held a meeting to discuss fundamental data-privacy questions facing K-12 schools.
Privacy & Security
Explainer
COPPA and Schools: The (Other) Federal Student Privacy Law, Explained
What school and district leaders need to know about the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.
Privacy & Security
The FTC on COPPA: 5 New Takeaways for Schools and Ed-Tech Companies
The Federal Trade Commission provided Education Week with new information about what the Children's Online Privacy Protection Acts means for schools and ed-tech companies.
Privacy & Security
FTC Complaint Focuses on Data Privacy of Internet-Connected Toys
A complaint to the Federal Trade Commission finds fault with the privacy protections of internet-connected toys.
School & District Management
Lumosity, Other Brain-Training Products Get Federal Scrutiny
The Federal Trade Commission is taking a closer look at the evidence behind "brain training" products designed to boost students' attention and working memory.
Classroom Technology
Complaint Accuses Google of Breaking Student-Privacy Pledge
A prominent nonprofit that supports digital privacy filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission alleging that the tech giant has strayed from a pledge to protect student privacy.
Data
(Yet Another) Federal Student-Data-Privacy Bill Introduced
The bipartisan SAFE KIDS Act seeks to protect student data privacy by placing new prohibitions on companies and granting enforcement authority to the Federal Trade Commission.
Law & Courts
News in Brief
Federal Judge Shuts Down Alleged Diploma Mills
A federal judge in Florida has temporarily closed a pair of organizations that the Federal Trade Commission alleges have operated as high school "diploma mills," taking in more than $11 million from marketing and selling bogus academic credentials over the past few years.
Classroom Technology
Online 'Diploma Mills' Shut Down at FTC's Request
A federal judge in Florida has ordered an online school that the Federal Trade Commission labeled a "diploma mill" to halt marketing to students.
Education
Ed-Tech Company's Bankruptcy Leads FTC to Step In on Data Privacy
The potential sale of 20 million student records by ConnectEDU, an ed-tech company that filed for bankruptcy in April, draws action from the Federal Trade Commission.