Privacy policy restricts online flexibility

Recently, the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District (PVPUSD) hired a local law firm to improve the student data privacy policy. This new policy addresses the communication between teachers and students and the type of information that will be given to private domains. It sets the rules for what websites may be used by teachers and students to communicate, and seeks to prevent student data from getting into the hands of software companies with possible malicious intent. In the past, students have used platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, that have not been approved by the district for communication. It should be noted that serious problems have never arisen at Peninsula because of these websites; thus teachers and students should still have the flexibility and freedom to use these sites when communicating across the Internet.

With cyber-hacking groups such as Anonymous and Cicada 3001 gaining information from the Internet with ease, it is logical to worry that students could potentially share private information with domains that may sell or use the information without their consent. The district believes that updating the privacy policy will better protect students, parents and faculty.

“With the advances in technology, online learning resources and use of social media, student privacy is an important issue,” Assistant Superintendent for Technology and Support Services Trent Bahadursingh said. “The challenge for educators, software publishers and parents is that legislation does not always keep pace with the technology.”

Yet, social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, both popular websites used by students and teachers at Peninsula, have not experienced any problems with students and the protection of their information.

“I had a Facebook before I needed it for school, so when I had to be added to groups and communicate with peers through the Internet, it was convenient for me since it was a platform that I already had from my personal life,” junior Brian Mo said. “Hearing about this new privacy policy, I do not think we need to make a big deal [of this] because most of the sites we use like Instagram and Facebook, we already use in our everyday lives.”

So far, 23 programs, such as Edmodo, have been approved for use by teachers in the district. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter are not approved by the district, despite their widespread usage by students from homework help to spreading school spirit on campus.

“I see the reason that people are concerned, and I am happy that as a district we are addressing the concerns. But, at the same time, I also think that people have taken it a little too far and are saying we should not do anything online,” AP Calculus and Geometry teacher Brian Hults said. “That is not the world we live in. [In] the world we live in, people are going to do things online.”