thumbnail

Privacy Evaluation for Classkick

Last updated

Overview

Classkick provides teachers with real-time feedback on student progress through learning activities. Selected users (generally a teacher, school leader, or a parent) may choose to share information or content through the Service with other Classkick teachers, school leaders, or parents. Student accounts with Classkick require minimal personal information, including a username, first name, last name, and password. Classkick's terms state they maintain administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect against unauthorized use, disclosure, or access to a user's personal information. Teachers who sign up for the service are effectively stating that they have the right to provide consent for the collection of student data for use in Classkick.

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

Safety

The terms of Classkick state they provide students and teachers with information and reports about student performance, and allow feedback to students in real time. Selected users (generally a teacher, school leader, or a parent) may choose to share information or content through the Service with other Classkick teachers, school leaders, or parents. Because the information shared can include both personal information and student work, sharing privileges should be assigned carefully. The terms of Classkick highlight that shared information may be copied and/or re-shared.

The terms specify that if a teacher uses the Student Helpers feature in Classkick, other students may view the drawings, text, images, audio, or links added by other students. Teachers may share their classes, including student work and personalized feedback, with other teachers or school leaders in their school. However, Classkick can also be used without sharing in these ways.

Privacy

The terms state if a student’s school or teacher elects to use Classkick, students can share drawings, text, photos, audio, and links without creating an account. This student-created content can potentially contain personal information. The terms state student accounts can only be created by students who have been invited, or given access to the Service by their teacher, school, or district. Student accounts with Classkick require minimal personal information, including a username, first name, last name, and password. Teachers can choose to provide full names for students when setting up their class or they can provide non-identifying information.

The terms specify the Service does not sell or rent personal information to any third party for any purpose. However, the terms state that Classkick may share aggregated, non-personally identifiable information publicly -- including with users, partners or the press -- in order to demonstrate how Classkick is used, or to provide marketing materials. Classkick agrees not to attempt to re-identify any de-identified data and does not transfer any de-identified data to any third party unless they agree not to attempt re-identification.

The terms also state that if Classkick ever makes significant changes to the types of personal information they collect from children, or context of how they use it, Classkick will notify teachers in order to obtain parental consent or notice for those new practices. Lastly, information collected from students, including personal information and information collected automatically, is never used or disclosed for any traditional advertising or for any first or third-party behaviorally targeted advertising.

Security

Classkick's terms state they maintain administrative, technical and physical safeguards designed to protect against unauthorized use, disclosure, or access to a user's personal information. Classkick states that when users enter any information anywhere on the Service, the information is encrypted while in transit. Classkick's terms specify that user passwords are stored and transferred securely using encryption and salted hashes. Lastly, if Classkick learns of a security breach, they will attempt to notify users electronically so that they can take appropriate protective steps.

Compliance

While using Classkick, teachers may collect personal information from their students, including those who are under 13 years of age. Classkick's terms state that a student must be at least 13 years of age to use the service, or if a student is under 13 years of age, they must have the consent of their teacher, parent, or guardian. According to Classkick's terms, teachers who sign-up for the service are effectively stating that they have the right to provide consent for the collection of student data for use in Classkick. The terms also specify that teachers signing up for their school or district are creating a contract on behalf of the school or district.

Teachers can create quizzes, questionnaires, and other exercises on Classkick. For quizzes and questionnaires, teachers should be aware of the requirements of the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA). Classkick's terms specify that teachers are responsible for ensuring that their collection and use of personal information from children complies with applicable laws, including COPPA, FERPA, and the PPRA.

Rating

This product received a Pass rating based on the following details:
  • Personal information is not sold or rented to third parties.
  • Personal information is not shared for third-party marketing.
  • Personalised advertising is not displayed.
  • 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.
Data Collection
SCORE: 40%

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 limited to product requirements.
  • Unclear whether this product collects geolocation data.
  • 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.
  • Opt-in consent is requested from users at the time personal information is collected.
  • Unclear whether personal information of users is collected by a third party.
Data Sharing
SCORE: 90%

What data does it share?

  • Collected information is shared with third parties.
  • 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.
  • Third-party login is supported.
  • Contractual limits are placed on third-party data use.
Data Security
SCORE: 85%

How does it secure data?

  • A user's identity is verified with additional personal information.
  • Account creation is not required.
  • Managed accounts are available.
  • Multi-factor account protection is available.
  • Unclear whether 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.
  • All data in transit are encrypted.
  • All data are stored in an encrypted format.
  • Notice is provided in the event of a data breach.
Data Rights
SCORE: 75%

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 available.
  • Processes to modify data are available for authorized users.
  • A data-retention policy is available.
  • Processes for authorized users to delete data are available.
  • A user's data are deleted upon account cancellation or termination.
  • Data are deleted when no longer necessary.
  • Unclear whether 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: 95%

Is the data sold?

  • Personal information is not sold or rented to third parties.
  • Users can opt out from the disclosure or sale of their data to a third party.
  • User information cannot 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 be deleted prior to its transfer to a third party.
  • Third-party transfer is contractually required to use the same privacy practices.
  • User information that is shared is shared in an anonymous or de-identified format.
  • The company describes their de-identification process of user information.
  • Data are shared for research and/or product improvement.
  • Contractual limits prohibit third parties from reidentifying or de-identified information.
Data Safety
SCORE: 65%

How safe is this product?

  • Users can interact with trusted users.
  • Users cannot interact with untrusted users, including strangers and/or adults.
  • Profile information must be shared for social interactions.
  • Personal information can be displayed publicly.
  • Users cannot control how their data are displayed to others.
  • User-created content is reviewed, screened, or monitored by the company.
  • Unclear whether user-created content is filtered for personal information before being made publicly visible.
  • Social interactions between users are moderated.
  • Social interactions of users are logged.
  • Unclear whether users can report abuse or cyberbullying.
Ads & Tracking
SCORE: 75%

Are there advertisements or tracking?

  • Personal information is not shared for third-party marketing.
  • Traditional or contextual advertisements are not displayed.
  • Personalised advertising is not displayed.
  • 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.
  • The company can send marketing messages.
  • Unclear whether this company provides promotional sweepstakes, contests, or surveys.
  • Unclear whether this product provides users the ability to opt-out of contextual, or personalised advertising.
  • Users can opt out or unsubscribe from marketing communications.
Parental Consent
SCORE: 85%

Can I provide parental consent?

  • Intended for children under 13.
  • Personal information from children under 13 years of age is collected.
  • Intended for parents or guardians.
  • Company does have 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.
  • Unclear whether this product limits parental consent 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.
  • Parental consent notice and method for submission are provided.
School Purpose
SCORE: 88%

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.
  • Additional rights or protections may be provided with an additional school contract.
  • Company is designated as a school official.
  • Parental consent obligations are transferred to the school or district.
Individual Control
SCORE: 65%

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.
  • Unclear whether company may combine data with additional data from third-party sources.
  • Combined information is treated as personally identifiable information (PII).
  • Notice is provided if the context in which data are collected changes.
  • Consent is obtained if the practices in which data are collected change.
  • A grievance or remedy mechanism is available for users to file a complaint.
  • Users can request to know what personal information has been shared with third parties.
  • Unclear whether 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.

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.