Hannah Utter1, Michele Polacsek2, Jennifer A Emond3. 1. The C. Everett Koop Institute at Dartmouth College, Member, Media and Health Behaviors Lab, One Rope Ferry, Hanover, NH, 03755. 2. Public Health and Director of the Center for Excellence in Public Health, University of New England, Linnell Hall 212, Portland, ME, 04103. 3. Department of Biomedical Data Science, Department of Pediatrics, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College; Member, The C. Everett Koop Institute at Dartmouth College, Media & Health Behaviors Lab, One Rope Ferry, Hanover, NH, 03755.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Digital technology is becoming a central component of schooling. We measured parents perceptions of their children's digital privacy on school-issued digital devices. METHODS: We surveyed 571 parents of K-12th grade children, recruited nationally, regarding their child's use of school-issued devices. Parents reported their awareness of, and ratings of importance for, seven types of privacy policies for school-issued devices. RESULTS: About half (45.9%) of children were in K-5th grade and 84.9% attended public school. Most (80.7%) children used a school-issued device and 66.6% took one home during the coronavirus pandemic. Parents most often rated policies for preventing the collection of geolocation (76%) and sharing of data with third parties (75%) as "very important." However, 35.4% of parents did not know with certainty if their school had any digital policies. Many (55.7%) parents "strongly agreed" their child's school protected student digital privacy and most (68.1%) felt schools were the most responsible party to do so, yet those ratings differed by parent awareness of privacy policies (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Parents consider digital privacy policies highly important and perceive schools to be responsible for such protections, highlighting the need to support schools in those efforts.
BACKGROUND: Digital technology is becoming a central component of schooling. We measured parents perceptions of their children's digital privacy on school-issued digital devices. METHODS: We surveyed 571 parents of K-12th grade children, recruited nationally, regarding their child's use of school-issued devices. Parents reported their awareness of, and ratings of importance for, seven types of privacy policies for school-issued devices. RESULTS: About half (45.9%) of children were in K-5th grade and 84.9% attended public school. Most (80.7%) children used a school-issued device and 66.6% took one home during the coronavirus pandemic. Parents most often rated policies for preventing the collection of geolocation (76%) and sharing of data with third parties (75%) as "very important." However, 35.4% of parents did not know with certainty if their school had any digital policies. Many (55.7%) parents "strongly agreed" their child's school protected student digital privacy and most (68.1%) felt schools were the most responsible party to do so, yet those ratings differed by parent awareness of privacy policies (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Parents consider digital privacy policies highly important and perceive schools to be responsible for such protections, highlighting the need to support schools in those efforts.
Authors: Erin R Hager; Anna M Quigg; Maureen M Black; Sharon M Coleman; Timothy Heeren; Ruth Rose-Jacobs; John T Cook; Stephanie A Ettinger de Cuba; Patrick H Casey; Mariana Chilton; Diana B Cutts; Alan F Meyers; Deborah A Frank Journal: Pediatrics Date: 2010-07 Impact factor: 7.124
Authors: Jennifer A Emond; Frances Fleming-Milici; Julia McCarthy; Sara Ribakove; Jeff Chester; Josh Golin; James D Sargent; Diane Gilbert-Diamond; Michele Polacsek Journal: Am J Prev Med Date: 2020-12-10 Impact factor: 6.604