Popular school apps may be sharing student data with advertisers
Brief
A two-year investigation into educational technology (EdTech) apps used by Utah schools found that many were collecting and sharing student data in ways that appeared inconsistent with their privacy commitments.
EdTech is a massive commercial industry and some argue that it functions much like traditional big tech by prioritizing profits, scalable software, and user data collection over proven learning outcomes.
The project, published by the Utah State Board of Education in partnership with Brigham Young University and Internet Safety Labs, examined network traffic from 100 EdTech apps between 2023 and 2025. Rather than relying only on privacy policies or vendor assurances, researchers looked at what the apps actually transmitted while in use.
What they found was concerning.