Following the shift to incorporate more online and digital learning, schools leaned into the adoption of educational software products and applications. Many of these applications tracked student data, with data collection being the primary driver of some applications’ use in schools, as educators found value in tools that could analyze students’ progress.

In other cases, however, applications accessed and collected data that seemed irrelevant to their educational purpose. Savvy IT professionals in K–12 schools began investigating apps’ permissions and vetting the programs their users were downloading. This also helped schools protect their networks from third-party risk as a result of these software solutions.

Keeping student data safe is a vital consideration and great responsibility of K–12 schools in today’s digital learning era. To avoid threats in this landscape, Google has implemented additional security features into its Workspace for Education platform. The changes are aimed at protecting valuable student data, especially for minors taking part in online learning.

EXPLORE: Find out how Google Workspace for Education’s security tools protect users.