News release: WPF urges parents to turn in a school opt-out to protect their kids’ privacy; new materials

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 10, 2014

San Diego — The World Privacy Forum is urging parents and college students to exercise their right to “opt out” of schools sharing their personal directory information with third parties. “The beginning of the school year is a key time when the school information opt-out period opens up,” explained Executive Director Pam Dixon. “Parents often don’t realize that their children’s home address, email, photograph, and other information could potentially be released without their consent to third parties.”

To assist parents and college students in the opt out process, WPF has published a new one-pager with key basics about directory information opt out and the key steps to take to get it done.  The WPF web site has a new, expanded guide with examples and links to more information.

The four opt-out steps are:

  1. Request a directory information opt out form from your child’s or your school. These forms may be on the school’s web site. Sometimes these forms are called FERPA opt out forms.
  2. Fill the form out, and make a copy or store a digital picture of it.
  3. Turn the form in to the school.
  4. The best time to turn in opt out forms is at the very beginning of the school year, as soon as possible. Schools often designate a set and sometimes brief period of time to notify the school of directory information opt out.

WPF School opt out one pager: https://www.worldprivacyforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/WPF_SchoolPrivacy_optout_fs.pdf

WPF School Opt Out web page: https://www.worldprivacyforum.org/2014/09/consumer-tips-how-one-single-school-opt-out-can-greatly-improve-your-kids-privacy/

Contact:

World Privacy Forum

www.worldprivacyforum.org

Pam Dixon 760-712-4281

or info@worldprivacyforum.org

About the World Privacy Forum 

The World Privacy Forum is a nonprofit, non-partisan 501(C)(3) public interest research group. The World Privacy Forum is dedicated to reimagining privacy in a digital era through groundbreaking, in-depth privacy research, analysis, and consumer education of the highest quality. It’s vision is to empower people with the knowledge, rights, and tools they need to protect their privacy and shape their digital lives. The World Privacy Forum has published substantial and respected privacy studies and research, has testified before Congress and federal agencies, and is frequently quoted in the press. WPF is based in San Diego, California. 

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