Overview
The Wikimedia Foundation is the nonprofit organization that operates collaborative, free knowledge websites, like Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, and Wiktionary. Wikipedia.org states their mission is to empower and engage people around the world to collect and develop educational content. The terms of Wikipedia state the service was primarily created to help users share their knowledge with the world, and Wikipedia shares a user's contributions because they have provided consent to do so. In addition, the terms state Wikipedia does not share personal information with analytics services, advertising networks, or social platforms, and they do not share users' information with any third parties for marketing purposes. The terms of Wikipedia state they strive to protect users' information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. Lastly, the terms of Wikipedia do not specifically state the service is intended for children under 13 or students, but it is commonly used by children and students everyday around the world as a trusted resource for knowledge and education.
Wikipedia.org can be accessed through its website, and is available for download at the iOS App Store, the Google Play Store, and Amazon Appstore. The Privacy Policy and Terms of Use used for this evaluation can be found on Wikipedia.org’s website, iOS App Store, the Google Play Store, and Amazon Appstore.This evaluation only considers policies that have been made publicly available prior to an individual using the application or service.
Safety
The terms of Wikipedia state the service was primarily created to help users share their knowledge with the world, and Wikipedia shares a user's contributions because they have provided consent to do so. The terms state Wikipedia does not take an editorial role, because the service is collaboratively edited. This means that Wikipedia does not monitor or edit the content of the websites, and they do not take any responsibility for user content. In addition, the terms specify that usernames will be publicly visible, so users should be careful about using their real name as their username.
Notice will be provided if information is intended to be public or private, so that a user can make an informed decision about whether they want to provide the service with that information. Users should be aware that any content they add or any changes they make to a website will be publicly and permanently available and can be seen and used by everyone, which is the purpose of the service. The terms of Wikipedia also state they provide tools that allow users to communicate with each other. Direct communications between users (such as messages sent through the "Email this user" feature) are kept confidential by the service to the extent the communications are non-public.
Privacy
The terms of Wikipedia state they believe users shouldn't have to provide personal information to participate in the free knowledge movement. Users do not have to provide information such as their real name, address, or date of birth to contribute. However, if a user contributes without signing in, their contribution will be publicly attributed to the IP address associated with their device.
In addition, the terms state Wikipedia does not share personal information with analytics services, advertising networks, or social platforms, and they do not share users' information with any third parties for marketing purposes. The terms also specify Wikipedia does not rent or sell users' information to third parties and they do not allow tracking by third-party websites users have not visited.
The terms state Wikipedia may share non-personal or aggregated information with researchers, scholars, academics, and other interested third parties who wish to study the Wikimedia sites. When the service gives access to personal information to third-party developers or researchers, they put requirements, such as reasonable technical and contractual protections in place to help ensure that third-party service providers treat users' information consistently with the principles of the service and in accordance with Wikipedia's instructions.
Security
The terms of Wikipedia state they strive to protect users' information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. The terms specify they use a variety of physical and technical measures, policies, and procedures (such as access control procedures, network firewalls, and physical security) designed to protect their systems and users' personal information. Unfortunately, the terms do not state whether they encrypt information in transit or while at rest, and whether or not they provide notice to users in the event of a data breach.
Compliance
The terms of Wikipedia do not specifically state the service is intended for children under 13 or students, but it is commonly used by children and students everyday around the world as a trusted resource for knowledge and education. Users are welcomed to join and contribute as a contributor, editor, or author, but users should follow the policies that govern each of the independent project editions of the service. Parents and teachers should be aware that the terms provide no information about obtaining verifiable parental consent for the collection or disclosure of personal information from children or students under the age of 13.
Overall Score
Every privacy rating includes an overall score. A higher score (up to 100%) means the product provides more transparent privacy policies with better practices to protect user data. The score is best used is as an indicator of how much additional work a person will need to do to make an informed decision about a product.
| Basic Score | Full Score | |
|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive Assessment | 68 | 58 |
Concerns
The privacy evaluation process summarizes the policies of an application or service into concern categories based on a subset of evaluation questions that can be used to quickly identify particular practices of a vendor’s policies. These concerns are composed of evaluation questions that can be used to calculate scores relative to that concern.
| Concern | Basic Score | Full Score |
|---|---|---|
| Data Collection: Protecting personal information | 83 | 50 |
| Data Sharing: Protecting data from third parties | 100 | 85 |
| Data Security: Protecting against unauthorized access | 0 | 40 |
| Data Rights: Controlling rights to data | 88 | 85 |
| Data Sold: Preventing sale of data | 75 | 90 |
| Data Safety: Promoting responsible use | 67 | 75 |
| Ads & Tracking: Prohibiting the exploitation of users' decision making process | 86 | 60 |
| Parental Consent: Protecting children’s personal information | 0 | 0 |
| School Purpose: Following student data privacy laws | 0 | 0 |
| Individual Control: Controlling data use | NA | 70 |
Statutes
Each statute or regulation is associated with one or more evaluation questions. As such, we can calculate scores for each statute or regulation using only those questions associated with the statute or regulation. Each specific statute or regulation's score serves as an indirect proxy indicating the likelihood of the application or service satisfying all of its compliance obligations.
| Statute | Basic Score | Full Score |
|---|---|---|
| California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA) | 94 | 82 |
| Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) | 76 | 59 |
| Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) | 64 | 52 |
| Student Online Personal Information Protection Act (SOPIPA) | 85 | 65 |
| General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) | 63 | 61 |
| The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) | 75 | 69 |
Privacy Policy Details
1: Transparency
1.1: Policy Version
- Privacy policies do indicate a version or effective date.
- Privacy policies indicate a change log or past policy version is available.
1.2: Policy Notice
- Users are notified if there are any material changes to the policies.
- Privacy policies indicate the method used to notify a user when policies are updated.
1.3: Policy Changes
- Users are notified prior to any material changes to the policies.
- Changes to the policies are effective immediately and continued use of the product indicates consent.
1.4: Policy Coverage
- Privacy policies indicate the products that are covered by the policies.
1.5: Privacy Contact
- Users can contact the company about any privacy policy questions, complaints, or material changes to the policies.
1.6: Policy Principles
- Privacy policies do indicate privacy principles, layered notices, or a table of contents.
1.7: Policy Language
- Privacy policies are available in multiple languages.
1.8: Intended Use
- Unclear whether intended for children under 13.
- Unclear whether intended for teens.
- Intended for adults over 18.
- Unclear whether intended for parents or guardians.
- Unclear whether intended for students.
- Unclear whether intended for teachers.
2: Focused Collection
2.1: Data Collection
- Personally identifiable information (PII) is collected.
- The categories of collected personally identifiable information are indicated.
- Geolocation data are collected.
- Unclear whether this product collects biometric or health data.
- Unclear whether this product collects interactions, behaviors, or usage analytics data.
- Unclear whether this product collects sensitive data.
- Data is automatically collected.
2.2: Data Source
- Unclear whether personal information or education records are collected from preK-12 students.
- Unclear whether this product collects personal information from children under 13 years of age.
2.3: Data Excluded
- Unclear whether specific types of personal information excluded from collection.
- Specific types of collected information are excluded from the privacy policy.
2.4: Data Limitation
- Collection or use of data is limited to product requirements.
3: Data Sharing
3.1: Data Shared With Third Parties
- Collected information is shared with third parties.
- The categories of information shared with third parties are indicated.
3.2: Data Use by Third Parties
- The purpose for sharing a user's personal information with third parties is indicated.
- Data are not shared for analytics.
- Data are shared for research and/or product improvement.
- Personal information is not shared for third-party marketing.
3.3: Data Not Shared With Third Parties
- Unclear whether there are specific categories of information that are not shared with third parties.
3.4: Data Sold to Third Parties
- Personal information is not sold or rented to third parties.
3.5: Third-Party Data Acquisition
- Personal information about users is obtained from third parties.
3.6: Third-Party Links
- Links to third-party external websites are not age-appropriate.
3.7: Third-Party Data Access
- Third parties are authorized to access a user's information.
3.8: Third-Party Data Collection
- Personal information of users is collected by a third party.
3.9: Third-Party Data Misuse
- Unclear whether personal information can be deleted from a third party.
3.10: Third-Party Service Providers
- Third-party services are used to support the product.
- The roles of third-party service providers are indicated.
3.11: Third-Party Affiliates
- The categories of third parties that receive data are indicated.
3.12: Third-Party Policies
- Links to privacy policies of third-party companies are available.
3.13: Third-Party Data Combination
- Unclear whether company may combine data with additional data from third-party sources.
- Unclear whether data shared with third parties can be combined with other data.
3.14: Third-Party Authentication
- Unclear whether this product supports third-party login.
- Unclear whether personal information from third-party login providers is collected.
- Unclear whether personal Information is shared with third-party login providers.
3.15: De-identified or Anonymized Data
- User information that is shared is shared in an anonymous or de-identified format.
- The company describes their de-identification process of user information.
3.16: Third-Party Contractual Obligations
- Contractual limits are placed on third-party data use.
- Contractual limits prohibit third parties from reidentifying or de-identified information.
4: Respect for Context
4.1: Data Use
- Use of information is limited to the purpose for which it was collected.
- The context or purpose for which data are collected is indicated.
4.2: Data Combination
- Unclear whether this product treats combined information as personally identifiable information (PII).
4.3: Data Notice
- Notice is provided if the context in which data are collected changes.
4.4: Data Changes
- Consent is obtained if the practices in which data are collected change.
4.5: Policy Enforcement
- Accounts may be terminated if users engage in any prohibited activities.
5: Individual Control
5.1: User Content
- Users can create or upload content.
5.2: User Consent
- Opt-in consent is requested from users at the time personal information is collected.
5.3: Remedy Process
- A grievance or remedy mechanism is available for users to file a complaint.
5.4: Data Settings
- Users can control the use of their information through privacy settings.
5.5: Data Disclosure
- Users can opt out from the disclosure or sale of their data to a third party.
- 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.
5.6: Intellectual Property
- Users retain ownership of their data.
- A copyright license is claimed to data or content collected from a user.
- Any copyright license to a user's data is limited in scope or duration.
6: Access and Accuracy
6.1: Data Access
- Processes to access or review user data are available.
- Methods are available to restrict who has access to data.
- Processes to review student data are available for the school, parents, or students.
6.2: Data Integrity
- Unclear whether the company attempts to maintain the accuracy of data they collect.
6.3: Data Correction
- Processes to modify data are available for authorized users.
- Processes for the school, parents, or students to modify inaccurate student information are available.
- Unclear whether the time period for the company to modify inaccurate data is indicated.
6.4: Data Retention
- A data-retention policy is available.
- Exceptions to the data retention policy exist.
6.5: Data Deletion
- Data are deleted when no longer necessary.
- A user's data are deleted upon account cancellation or termination.
- Processes to delete user data are available.
- Processes for authorized users to delete data are available.
- Unclear whether the time period for the company to delete data is indicated.
6.6: Data Portability
- Unclear whether this product provides users the ability to download their data.
- Unclear whether a user can assign an authorized account manager or legacy contact.
7: Data Transfer
7.1: Data Handling
- 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.
7.2: Transfer Request
- User information can be deleted prior to its transfer to a third party.
7.3: Onward Contractual Obligations
- Third-party transfer is contractually required to use the same privacy practices.
8: Security
8.1: User Identity
- A user's identity is not verified with additional personal information.
8.2: User Account
- Account creation is not required.
- Unclear whether managed accounts are available.
- Unclear whether multi-factor account protection is available.
8.3: Third-Party Security
- Unclear whether third-parties with access to information are required to provide the same security protections as the company.
8.4: Data Confidentiality
- Reasonable security practices are used to protect data.
- Employee or physical access to user information is limited.
8.5: Data Transmission
- Unclear whether this product encrypts all data in transit.
8.6: Data Storage
- Unclear whether all data are stored in an encrypted format.
- The company is clear what jurisdiction a user's personal information is subject to.
8.7: Data Breach
- Unclear whether this product provides notice in the event of a data breach.
8.8: Data Oversight
- Unclear whether this product performs data-privacy and/or security-compliance audits.
9: Responsible Use
9.1: Social Interactions
- Users can interact with trusted users.
- Users can interact with untrusted users, including strangers and/or adults.
- Profile information must be shared for social interactions.
9.2: Data Visibility
- Personal information can be displayed publicly.
- Users can control how their data are displayed to others.
9.3: Monitor and Review
- User-created content is not 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.
- Social interactions of users are logged.
9.4: Report Content
- Users can filter or block inappropriate content.
- Users can report abuse or cyberbullying.
9.5: Internet Safety
- The company provides links to resources that support safe and appropriate social interactions.
10: Advertising
10.1: Company Communications
- A user can receive service- or administrative-related communications from the company.
10.2: Traditional Advertising
- Traditional or contextual advertisements are not displayed.
10.3: Behavioral Advertising
- Personalised advertising is not displayed.
10.4: Ad Tracking
- Data are not collected by third-parties for their own purposes.
- User's information is not used to track and target advertisements on other third-party websites or services.
- Data profiles are not created and used for personalised advertisements.
10.5: Filtered Advertising
- Unclear whether ads displayed to children are filtered for inappropriate content.
10.6: Marketing Communications
- Unclear whether this company can send marketing messages.
- Unclear whether this company provides promotional sweepstakes, contests, or surveys.
10.7: Unsubscribe
- Unclear whether this product provides users the ability to opt-out of contextual, or personalised advertising.
- Unclear whether users can opt out or unsubscribe from marketing communications.
10.8: Do Not Track
- Company does respond to "Do Not Track" or other opt-out mechanisms.
- The company does provide a method for users to opt-out from third-party tracking.
11: Compliance
11.1: Children Under 13
- Unclear whether company has actual knowledge that personal information from users under 13 years of age is collected.
- The company does not provide a section, heading, or separate policy for children in their policies.
- Unclear whether this product restricts or prohibits account creation for users under 13 years of age.
11.2: Students in K–12
- Unclear whether this product is primarily used by, designed for, and marketed toward students in grades preK–12.
- Processes to enter education records into the product are not 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.
11.3: Parental Consent
- Unclear whether parental consent is required before personal information is collected or disclosed.
- Unclear whether this product limits parental consent with respect to third parties.
- Unclear whether this product allows parents to withdraw consent for the further collection of their child's information.
- Unclear whether this product deletes children's personal information if collected without parental consent.
- Unclear whether this product provides parental consent notice and method for submission.
- Unclear whether this product transfers parental consent obligations to the school or district.
11.4: Legal Requirements
- The legal jurisdiction that applies to the laws governing the policies is indicated.
- A user is not required to waive the right to a jury trial, or settle any disputes by arbitration.
- Unclear whether a user is required to waive the right to join a class action lawsuit.
- A company will disclose personal information to law enforcement.
11.5: Certification
- Unclear whether the company has signed a privacy pledge or received a privacy certification.
11.6: International Laws
- A user's data are subject to International data transfer or jurisdiction laws.
- Unclear whether the company has indicated it is a Data Controller or Data Processor.