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Comparing Provisions in KOSMA and KOSA

Comparing Provisions in KOSMA and KOSA The Kids Off Social Media Act (KOSMA) and the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) are progressing through Congress, both with the shared objective of protecting children online. KOSA attempts to achieve this goal with broad requirements that are aimed at making the platforms minors use safer. KOSMA, on the other hand, aims to protect children from social media in two main ways: Prohibiting minors under age 13 from creating or maintaining social media accounts Prohibiting social media companies from targeted content to to minors using algorithms Requiring schools to block and filter social media […]

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Comparing Definitions of “Social Media Platform” in KOSMA

Comparing Definitions of “Social Media Platform” in KOSMA The Kids Off Social Media Act (KOSMA),* introduced on May 1st, is a bipartisan bill that combines Senator Schatz’s Protecting Kids on Social Media Act and Senator Cruz’s Eyes on the Board Act. According to the press release, KOSMA aims to: “Prohibit children under the age of 13 from creating or maintaining social media accounts, consistent with the current stated policies of major social media companies; Prohibit social media companies from pushing targeted content using algorithms to users under the age of 17; Provide the FTC and state attorneys general authority to

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House Improves KOSA, but Major Problems Persist for Schools

House Improves KOSA, but Major Problems Persist for Schools May 2024 Katherine Kalpos, Morgan Sexton, and Amelia Vance       CC BY-NC 4.0 Introduction On April 9, 2024, Representative Bilirakis released the text of the House version of Senator Blumenthal’s Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). The bill, which is fundamentally based on valuable goals and principles, includes many positive revisions to better align with KOSA’s underlying goal to protect kids online. However, concerns remain that it may create major unintended consequences for schools. In particular, KOSA may limit the ability of schools to effectively implement edtech into instruction and

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Comparing Requirements for Schools Under E-Rate & KOSMA

Comparing Requirements for Schools Under E-Rate & KOSMA The Kids Off Social Media Act (KOSMA), introduced on May 1st, is a bipartisan bill that combines Senator Schatz’s Protecting Kids on Social Media Act and Senator Cruz’s Eyes on the Board Act. According to the press release, KOSMA aims to: “Prohibit children under the age of 13 from creating or maintaining social media accounts, consistent with the current stated policies of major social media companies; Prohibit social media companies from pushing targeted content using algorithms to users under the age of 17; Provide the FTC and state attorneys general authority to

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From Data Privacy to Discrimination: Examining the Legal Ramifications of AI in Schools

From Data Privacy to Discrimination: Examining the Legal Ramifications of AI in Schools April 2024 Morgan Sexton and Amelia Vance       CC BY-NC 4.0 Introduction The incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) seems to be everywhere at the moment – and schools are no different! While using AI to improve systems and educational outcomes for students is an exciting prospect, it should be done carefully and with consideration for the legal landscape. AI in education is subject to a myriad of education, child privacy, consumer, and civil rights laws. We’ve created this brief to provide an overview of the

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K-12 Privacy Policy Guide: How to Quickly Spot Red Flags

The K-12 Privacy Policy Guide How to Quickly Spot Red Flags April 2024 Jessica Arciniega, Morgan Sexton, and Amelia Vance       CC BY-NC 4.0 Download the PDF Introduction Using technology in classrooms can transform the learning experience and provide immense benefits for both students and educators. But before it’s used, it is imperative to ensure that our students’ information and privacy are protected. One of the main steps to doing that is reviewing an app’s privacy policy before requesting approval to use it with your students. We understand that deciphering a privacy policy can be a hard task–privacy

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A Privacy Protective Path to Using Technology in Schools: Parental Consent is Not a Panacea

Parental Consent is Not a Panacea: A Privacy Protective Path to Using Technology in Schools December 2023 Katherine Kalpos, Morgan Sexton, and Amelia Vance       CC BY-NC 4.0 Introduction Data collection, use, and sharing are everywhere–and classrooms are no exception. Schools increasingly use a wide array of technologies for many different reasons, ranging from promoting student learning and success, to making data-informed decisions, and also operationalizing administrative tasks. When harnessed correctly with appropriate privacy protections in place, technology in schools can enhance teaching and learning in powerful ways. But there are also serious privacy risks to introducing technology

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Practical Considerations for AI & Integrated Data Systems: Implicit Bias

Practical Considerations for AI & Integrated Data Systems: Implicit Bias November 6, 2023 Morgan Sexton, Katherine Kalpos, and Amelia Vance There has been lots of hype recently around artificial intelligence (AI), including its magical promises and potential risks. While it may be tempting to get swept up in the potential around AI and incorporate it into Integrated Data Systems (IDSs) right away, it is crucial to understand that AI is only as good as the information fed into it and the soundness of the algorithms that it relies on. Additionally, the implementation of AI into IDSs can create significant ethical

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Student Privacy Primer

Student Privacy Primer Juliana Cotto, Edith Mandinach, Amelia Vance, Jim Siegl, Anisha Reddy, Tyler Park, and Jasmine Parks This primer explains the concepts of student data, including who uses the data and why they use it; data privacy in general; student data privacy; student data privacy risks and harms; how student data privacy relates to data ethics and data equity; key federal privacy laws; key district and school policies; and what it means to foster a culture of privacy. Each of these sections and a concluding section list additional resources to help education stakeholders learn more about student data privacy.

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Teaching privacy and ethical guardrails for the AI imperative in education

Teaching Privacy and Ethical Guardrails for The AI Imperative in Education Evan Selinger & Amelia Vance Originally published by the NSW Department of Education Future EDge, Issue 3 December 2020 Introduction In 1956 computer scientist John McCarthy coined the phrase ‘artificial intelligence’ (AI) to describe ‘the science and engineering of making intelligent machines’ (McCarthy, 2007). Over time, the term has evolved to cover a variety of technologies, including ones widely used in education, from plagiarism detectors to voice-activated virtual assistants leveraged to enhance campus information distribution and classroom pedagogy (Arizona State University, 2018). Contemporary AI discussions are about ‘a variety

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