Privacy First supports petition for privacy-friendly digital education

CEDO, a coalition of parents, IT professionals, teachers and privacy advocates, is deeply concerned because of the greatly increased influence of tech giants on public domain education. The coalition notes that current digital learning systems are dominated by tech giants and that fundamental rights - such as the privacy of children, parents and teachers - cannot be adequately safeguarded.

The digital infrastructure of Dutch education is almost entirely in the hands of foreign tech giants such as Google and Microsoft. From the mail service to the processing and storage of educational projects, from the online notepad to the video tool. This can be convenient - for example, home education could be started quickly during the Corona crisis - but these vendors restrict the right to privacy and do not provide transparency about what happens to data.

Big Tech in education means that digital security cannot be guaranteed by schools. Our children lose control of their data as early as kindergarten. They are also offered only limited and one-sided product knowledge, rather than the (digital) skills to learn critical thinking.

The coalition therefore advocates for an alternative design of digital learning environments that does safeguard public values and autonomy in education.

It must and it can be different!

Tick here the petition and support it manifesto!