Common Sense Privacy Program

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Privacy Evaluation for Schoology

Last updated
Applications and services with a Warning rating do not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices. Applications and services with a Warning rating have issues narrowly focused around data use related to creating profiles that are not associated with any educational purpose, selling data, and/or using data to target advertisements.

50%

Warning

Learn how we rate

Overview

Schoology is a learning management system that allows parents, teachers, students, and school officials to track coursework. Schoology's terms state they offer some flexibility in how users can control who sees what content, but the configuration options should be reviewed by a school administrator to ensure that visibility settings align with community norms and expectations. Schoology is an LMS which collects a significant amount of information about students and their work product. Schoology's terms state that the company takes reasonable security precautions but does not provide details about whether data is encrypted while in transit or at rest. Lastly, Schoology's terms state they require schools to obtain parental consent under COPPA, but do not define themselves as a school official under FERPA.

Schoology can be accessed through its website, and is available for download at the iOS App Store, and the Google Play Store. The Privacy Policy and Terms of Use used for this evaluation can be found on Schoology’s website, the iOS App Store, and the Google Play Store. This evaluation only considers policies that have been made publicly available prior to an individual using the application or service.

Safety

The terms of Schoology state they offer some flexibility in how users can control who sees what content, but the configuration options should be reviewed by a school administrator to ensure that visibility settings align with community norms and expectations. However, the terms do not define specific methods of flagging inappropriate content, or of auditing content. Lastly, Schoology's terms state that students of any age cannot share their profiles publicly outside of their classroom or school.

Privacy

Schoology is an LMS which collects a significant amount of information about students and their work product. Schoology's terms state they do not share information outside of the school or with any third parties except for contracted vendors and partners who provide services including marketing, analytics, and product improvement. Additionally, policies state that third party vendors and partners are contractually required to adhere to Schoology’s privacy and security policies.

The terms specify that the vendor may also share de-identified and/or aggregated data with third parties. In addition, Schoology's terms state they may use tracking technologies from third party service providers to display personalized advertising on Schoology products or other sites. Terms also state that users who opt out of personalized advertisements will be served contextual advertisements. Finally, Schoology’s terms specify the exception that student information is not used by the company or third parties to target advertisements to students.

Security

Schoology's terms state that the company takes reasonable security precautions but does not provide details about whether data is encrypted while in transit or at rest. Additionally, the terms do not contain information about a breach notification policy.

Compliance

Schoology's terms state they require schools to obtain parental consent under COPPA, but do not define themselves as a school official under FERPA. Schoology’s terms state the company does not guarantee all users the right to access, review, correct, or delete their data. Instead, policies state that schools, school districts, and higher education institutions own and control individual users’ data on Schoology and such requests must be directed through the relevant institutional administrator. Terms also specify that the parents of Schoology users have the right to access, correct, delete their child’s information, which they are directed to do by contacting their school administrator, emailing Schoology, or using the service’s member information page.

In addition, the terms state parents have the right to consent to Schoology's use of their child's personal information without having to also consent to disclosure of that information to third parties by contacting the school administrator.

Rating

This product received a Warning rating based on the following details:
  • Unclear whether personal information is sold or rented to third parties.
  • Personal information is shared for third-party marketing.
  • Personalised advertising is displayed.
  • Data are collected by third-parties for their own purposes.
  • User's information is used to track and target advertisements on other third-party websites or services.
  • Unclear whether this product creates and uses data profiles for personalised advertisements.
Data Collection
SCORE: 55%

What data does it collect?

  • Personally identifiable information (PII) is collected.
  • The categories of collected personally identifiable information are indicated.
  • Collection or use of data is not limited to product requirements.
  • Geolocation data are collected.
  • Biometric or health data are collected.
  • Interactions, behaviors, or usage analytics data are collected.
  • Sensitive data are collected.
  • Data is automatically collected.
  • Opt-in consent is not requested from users at the time personal information is collected.
  • Personal information of users is collected by a third party.
Data Sharing
SCORE: 70%

What data does it share?

  • Collected information is shared with third parties.
  • Unclear whether the categories of information shared with third parties are indicated.
  • The purpose for sharing a user's personal information with third parties is indicated.
  • The categories of third parties that receive data are indicated.
  • Data are shared for analytics.
  • Data are shared for research and/or product improvement.
  • Third-party services are used to support the product.
  • The roles of third-party service providers are indicated.
  • Unclear whether this product supports third-party login.
  • Contractual limits are placed on third-party data use.
Data Security
SCORE: 40%

How does it secure data?

  • Unclear whether a user's identity is verified with additional personal information.
  • Unclear whether this product requires account creation.
  • Managed accounts are available.
  • Unclear whether multi-factor account protection is available.
  • Third-parties with access to information are required to provide the same security protections as the company.
  • Reasonable security practices are used to protect data.
  • Employee or physical access to user information is limited.
  • Unclear whether this product encrypts all data in transit.
  • Unclear whether all data are stored in an encrypted format.
  • Unclear whether this product provides notice in the event of a data breach.
Data Rights
SCORE: 55%

What rights do I have to the data?

  • Users can create or upload content.
  • Users retain ownership of their data.
  • Processes to access or review user data are not available.
  • Processes to modify data are not available for authorized users.
  • A data-retention policy is available.
  • Processes for authorized users to to delete data are not available.
  • Unclear whether a user's data are deleted upon account cancellation or termination.
  • Data are not deleted when no longer necessary.
  • Methods are available to restrict who has access to data.
  • Unclear whether this product provides users the ability to download their data.
Data Sold
SCORE: 40%

Is the data sold?

  • Unclear whether personal information is sold or rented to third parties.
  • Unclear whether users can opt out from the disclosure or sale of their data to a third party.
  • User information can be transferred to a third party in the event of a merge, acquisition, or bankruptcy.
  • Users are notified if their information is transferred to a third party.
  • User information can not be deleted prior to its transfer to a third party.
  • Third-party transfer is not contractually required to use the same privacy practices.
  • User information that is shared is not shared in an anonymous or de-identified format.
  • Unclear whether the company describes their de-identification process of user information.
  • Data are shared for research and/or product improvement.
  • Unclear whether contractual limits prohibit third parties from reidentifying or de-identified information.
Data Safety
SCORE: 55%

How safe is this product?

  • Users can interact with trusted users.
  • Users can interact with untrusted users, including strangers and/or adults.
  • Unclear whether profile information must be shared for social interactions.
  • Personal information can be displayed publicly.
  • Users can control how their data are displayed to others.
  • User-created content is reviewed, screened, or monitored by the company.
  • User-created content is not filtered for personal information before being made publicly visible.
  • Social interactions between users are moderated.
  • Unclear whether social interactions of users are logged.
  • Unclear whether users can report abuse or cyberbullying.
Ads & Tracking
SCORE: 50%

Are there advertisements or tracking?

  • Personal information is shared for third-party marketing.
  • Traditional or contextual advertisements are displayed.
  • Personalised advertising is displayed.
  • Data are collected by third-parties for their own purposes.
  • User's information is used to track and target advertisements on other third-party websites or services.
  • Unclear whether this product creates and uses data profiles for personalised advertisements.
  • The company can send marketing messages.
  • Unclear whether this company provides promotional sweepstakes, contests, or surveys.
  • Users can opt out of contextual, or personalised advertising.
  • Users can opt out or unsubscribe from marketing communications.
Parental Consent
SCORE: 55%

Can I provide parental consent?

  • Unclear whether intended for children under 13.
  • Unclear whether this product collects personal information from children under 13 years of age.
  • Intended for parents or guardians.
  • Unclear whether company has actual knowledge that personal information from users under 13 years of age is collected.
  • The company does provide a section, heading, or separate policy for children in their policies.
  • Parental consent is required before personal information is collected or disclosed.
  • Parental consent is not limited with respect to third parties.
  • Parents can withdraw consent for the further collection of their child's information.
  • Children's personal information is deleted if collected without parental consent.
  • Unclear whether this product provides parental consent notice and method for submission.
School Purpose
SCORE: 63%

Is the product intended for school?

  • Intended for students.
  • Personal information or education records are collected from preK-12 students.
  • Intended for teachers.
  • Product is primarily used by, designed for, and marketed toward students in grades preK–12.
  • Processes to enter education records into the product are described.
  • Unclear whether additional rights or protections may be provided with an additional school contract.
  • Unclear whether the company is designated as a school official.
  • Parental consent obligations are transferred to the school or district.
Individual Control
SCORE: 30%

Can I control the use of my data?

  • Unclear whether users can control the use of their information through privacy settings.
  • Use of information is not limited to the purpose for which it was collected.
  • The context or purpose for which data are collected is indicated.
  • Company may combine data with additional data from third-party sources.
  • Unclear whether this product treats combined information as personally identifiable information (PII).
  • Unclear whether notice is provided if the context in which data are collected changes.
  • Unclear whether consent is obtained if the practices in which data are collected change.
  • Unclear whether a grievance or remedy mechanism is available for users to file a complaint.
  • Unclear whether users can request to know what personal information has been shared with third parties.
  • Notice is provided in the event the company receives a government or legal request for a user's information.

Common Sense Standard Privacy Report (SPR)

The standard privacy report (SPR) displays all the privacy practices from a product's policies in a single, easy-to-read outline. The report shows a green check mark for better privacy practices and an orange alert for risky or unclear practices. This alert indicates that more time should be focused on these particular details prior to use.

Learn more about the SPR Read the report

About Privacy Evaluations

The privacy evaluations have been designed with the help and support of a consortium of schools and districts across the United States. These evaluations are designed to help educators make informed decisions about the potential privacy implications of educational technology used to support teaching and learning.

Our core evaluation criteria will always be freely available. People are encouraged to read the questions we use and our information security primer. Vendors are encouraged to use our questions and the information security primer to self-evaluate. You can also learn more about our evaluation process. Please be in touch with any questions or feedback.