D2L Brightspace is learning management system ("LMS") software for online learning and teaching that helps give each student a more personalized learning experience on any mobile device, for each grade level. Brightspace's terms state that the service or other D2L offerings can be accompanied by interactive features such as chat rooms, forums, messaging and other ways to share with users of the service. The terms of Brightspace state that they adhere to the privacy principles of notice, choice, accountability for onward transfer, data integrity and purpose limitation, access, and recourse, enforcement and liability. Additionally, the terms of Brightspace state they hold many security certifications and take appropriate security measures to protect against unauthorized access and unauthorized alteration, disclosure, or destruction of data. Lastly, the terms of Brightspace state that they do not knowingly collect any personal information from individuals under the age of 13 through the company's consumer offerings or D2L general audience Web sites. However, parents and educators should be aware that the service would likely appeal to students and children under 13 years of age and therefore would be subject to COPPA and FERPA regulations. This determination takes several factors into account, including subject matter, visual content, age of models, and the activities provided.

D2L Brightspace 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 Brightspace’s website, iOS App Store, and the Google Play Store. Additionally, other policies used for this evaluation include: Privacy Center, Security Statement, Cookie Policy, and GDPR Statement. This evaluation only considers policies that have been made publicly available prior to an individual using the application or service.

Safety

Brightspace's terms state that the service or other D2L offerings can be accompanied by interactive features such as chat rooms, forums, messaging and other ways to share with users of the service. The terms specify users should be aware if they post a comment on the company's blog, they can share personal information within their comment, along with the name they provide, with the general public. If there is a student data privacy agreement in place between the school and Brightspace as an enterprise user, the terms state student permissions as to what features are enabled, and who has access to those features is determined by the educational institution. Lastly, because D2L does not police or monitor users' information, if D2L receives a request directly from users for information data collection and processing, Brightspace will instruct those users to contact the educational institution.

Privacy

The terms of Brightspace state they adhere to the privacy principles of notice, choice, accountability for onward transfer, data integrity and purpose limitation, access, and recourse, enforcement and liability. The terms further specify they collect personal information which means any information about an individual who is either directly or indirectly identified by the information or could be reasonably identified by it. Additionally, the terms state if users were given access to Brightspace by an educational institution as an enterprise user or as a parent or guardian of an enterprise user, there may be additional student data privacy terms that address the collection, use, or disclosure of student information. Teachers should be aware that if they are using Brightspace as an enterprise user, they are responsible for ensuring that the system is configured to properly restrict access to student information in accordance with their own school or district policies.

Additionally, the terms state Brightspace uses data for learning only, not for advertising. The terms state there are no ads in the Brightspace platform and they do not collect, track, target, use, or sell learner data for advertising or marketing purposes, or to create advertising profiles.

Security

The terms of Brightspace state they hold many security certifications and take appropriate security measures to protect against unauthorized access and unauthorized alteration, disclosure, or destruction of data. The terms further specify these include internal reviews of Brightspace's data collection, storage and processing practices and security measures, including appropriate encryption and physical security measures to guard against unauthorized access to systems where the service stores personal information. However, the terms do not disclose whether they provide notification to users in the event of a data breach.

Compliance

The terms of Brightspace state they do not knowingly collect any personal information from individuals under the age of 13 through the company's consumer offerings or D2L general audience Web sites. However, parents and educators should be aware that the service would likely appeal to students and children under 13 years of age and therefore would be subject to COPPA and FERPA regulations. This determination takes several factors into account, including subject matter, visual content, age of models, and the activities provided.

Additionally, the terms state the service provides users the ability to access, modify, and delete personal information form the service, but they may need to contact their educational institution to fulfill the request. The terms state if an educational institution is a school in the United States, Brightspace's provision of services may involve providing access to student education records subject to the US Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). However, the terms specify the service will not use student education records for any purpose other than to perform student data privacy agreements with schools or districts. Lastly, under FERPA, the terms state the service is deemed a “school official” to the extent they have access to student education records.