"Education" websites use in elementary schools

[lets-talk]

Kid brings home permission slip to upload assigment-videos (playing violin) to a education website (calledseesaw). Teacher says only parents and teachers can view videos. That may be true but when I googled the site, I came across https://privacy.commonsense.org/evaluation/seesaw:-the-learning-journal

Summary is as follows:
Data Collection

• Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is collected.
• Geolocation data are collected.
• The terms are unclear about whether or not this product collects biometric or health data.
• The terms are unclear about whether or not this product collects behavioral data.
• Non-Personally Identifiable Information is collected.

• The terms of Seesaw state that depending on the content of student journals, the Service has the potential to store personal information ranging from non-personal analytics to fairly sensitive personal information.

So what's the drill? What do you guys do?

 

[Rabbuk]

They use it at the school I worked at. It's pretty cool

 

[MeowingCows]

I strongly doubt the chances of a legitimate privacy/security threat for a product made for and used by school kids. If something like that were to ever get out, that company would burn to the ground overnight. There's just no way they'd be dumb enough to take those kinds of risks.

Data collection and storage itself isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's the selling/release of data that is the issue.

 

[lets-talk]

You're overreacting,

See-saw is a really cool way to see what your kids are doing in school. It makes my day when I get a notification on my phone that one of my kids has uploaded a drawing or recorded a video, etc.

I haven't reacted at all other than looking up the site. That said, nobody has concerns about the data collection and privacy info i pasted about the site? I mean even adults seem seriously concerned these days about tracking. Do your kids already twitter and facebook in elementary school?

In my case I don't need the site to know what they are doing in school? I already know (the school has its own site and i keep track of the work my kid does)

 

[ArgentCy]

Why do need to record what a student is doing at school? I don't like it and probably wouldn't sign.

 

[Rabbuk]

Why do need to record what a student is doing at school? I don't like it and probably wouldn't sign.

Some adults might like seeing their kid read

 

[ArgentCy]

Can they not read with them at night?

 

[lets-talk]

Some adults might like seeing their kid read

Lets say it's a given that this site delivers some functionality to you as a parent and to the teacher. The obvious question to ask particularly with kids in the frame is what's in it for the site operator.

 

[ArgentCy]

Are they charging the school a fee? If not, then they are making money of you and your kids one way or another.

 

[lets-talk]

No, my kids don't have social media they are 8 and 6.

There's nothing nefarious about it. The teacher has to link your parent accounts to the student which controls who see's what information is shared. The parent can log into the app to see what their child uploaded and comment on it on click the heart button and the child can see that. My kids think it's really neat as do both my wife and I.

It's a harmless way for your child to learn some technology.

The kids are up to their eyeballs in tech already. I am sure the functionality is fine but it's not offering anything necessary while downsides (to me at least) exist (unless explained away).

BECAUSE IT'S FUN AND THE KIDS LOVE IT!

You are beyond dense.

I'm not the guy you responded to but the "fun" and "love it" doesnt resonate with me as a good enough reason. Also just 'coz you gave permission doesnt mean i (or anybody else) is finding fault with you. Just getting view points (yours are good to have too) that's all.

 

[lets-talk]

Obviously the developer of the software gets paid by the schools to use their product, just like everything else.

There's no money my kids school's paying this site, i guarantee that.

 

[lets-talk]

Are they charging the school a fee? If not, then they are making money of you and your kids one way or another.

No, it's an unpaid service. And that concerns me.
Google and apple are already in the schools but i don't have much of a choice there.

 

[mapnerd]

If Argent is on your side, you are most likely wrong.

 

[cyhiphopp]

No, it's an unpaid service. And that concerns me.
Google and apple are already in the schools but i don't have much of a choice there.

There are probably adds when you watch the content. Or there's grant money involved for being education based. It's not guaranteed that they are trying to sell your kids personal data or doing something else nefarious.

People have a right to be concerned about privacy but some of it turns into paranoia.

 

[Cyclonepride]

I strongly doubt the chances of a legitimate privacy/security threat for a product made for and used by school kids. If something like that were to ever get out, that company would burn to the ground overnight. There's just no way they'd be dumb enough to take those kinds of risks.

Data collection and storage itself isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's the selling/release of data that is the issue.

Would it? The general public has endured a whole lot of loss of privacy without batting an eye. I don't think people will know the value of it until it's entirely gone and it's being used against them.

 

[Rabbuk]

Lets say it's a given that this site delivers some functionality to you as a parent and to the teacher. The obvious question to ask particularly with kids in the frame is what's in it for the site operator.

Schools pay subscriptions I think.

 

[lets-talk]

That's fine and it's your decision to make as a parent. I'm sure your kids will be love being the only kid(s) in class who doesn't get to share their projects with their parents due to unwarranted (in my opinion) privacy concerns. I can't stress enough that you really are making a mountain out of a molehill here.

The bolded part is part of the site's business plan no doubt but i suppose as a parent it's my job to figure out whether my concerns are unwarranted. If you don't let your kids twitter or facebook, surely this seems like something as bad or even worse (behavior tracking, learning tracking, quality of work tracking, thought tracking etc)

 

[lets-talk]

Schools pay subscriptions I think.

Not in my case.

 

[cyhiphopp]

The bolded part is part of the site's business plan no doubt but i suppose as a parent it's my job to figure out whether my concerns are unwarranted. If you don't let your kids twitter or facebook, surely this seems like something as bad or even worse (behavior tracking, learning tracking, quality of work tracking, thought tracking etc)

I'm very curious what money you see to be made off of "thought tracking"

 

[cyhiphopp]

No no no no no no. You don't understand the app at all.

The only point of the app is for the student to share their work with their parents, that's it. They don't take tests on it or do any kind of homework. They are able to upload pictures and videos for their parents to see and the parents are able to view the content and comment on it and the kids are able to see the comments.

That's it.

But wait until Big Brother finds out how well little Timmy draws trees!