DOS
August 18, 2022
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Consumer Alert: New York State Division of Consumer Protection Provides Targeted Back-To-School Tips for Parents and Children |
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Secretary of State, Robert J. Rodriguez says, “Children should not have to give up their privacy rights to do their homework” Follow Key Tips to Protect your Child’s Personal Information and Avoid Back-to-School Shopping Scams As summer winds down and parents begin getting their students ready to go back to school, the NYS Division of Consumer Protection (DCP) is providing targeted scam prevention and shopping tips for parents and children ahead of the new school year. “Back-to-school shopping is the second largest spending event for parents, after the holidays, which makes it critically important for parents to know how to safeguard against scams to protect their privacy and finances,” said Secretary of State Robert J Rodriguez. “And as more and more schools use technology as a teaching tool, parents should know what information is being obtained from their student and how to protect their children’s identity and privacy. Children should not have to give up their privacy rights just to do their homework. I urge parents to use these tips so students from elementary school to high school stay safe this school year.” Below is some guidance on how to start the new school year safely. Think About Children’s Privacy: Under New York State’s Education Law, if you are a parent of a child in the New York State schools, you have rights regarding the privacy and security of your child’s personal information and data. NYS law requires each educational agency to publish its Data Privacy and Security Policy to its website. Technology has become a permanent fixture of the education experience. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently issued a policy statement that put educational technology on notice about children’s privacy. In other words, educational tech companies can’t require parents and schools to agree to the comprehensive surveillance of children for kids to use those learning tools. Thus, parents and guardians need to place close attention to the technology children use, what information they collect, and how they use it. Some highlights to know about this law:
Other ways to pay close attention to your child’s personal information:
Avoid Back to School Shopping Scams: Back-to-school shopping is the second largest spending event for parents (behind holiday shopping). Often, a shopping scam starts with a fake website, mobile app or, increasingly, a social media ad. This year, smartphone shopping is on the rise as people are on the move again. DCP urges consumers to take note of common scams while shopping. Scammers may try to exploit the back-to-school rush through fraudulent ads or through other forms of solicitations.
The New York State Division of Consumer Protection provides resources and education materials to consumers on product safety, as well as voluntary mediation services between consumers and businesses. The Consumer Assistance Helpline 1-800-697-1220 is available Monday to Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, excluding State Holidays, and consumer complaints can be filed at any time at www.dos.ny.gov/consumer-protection. For more consumer protection tips, follow the Division on social media at Twitter: @NYSConsumer and Facebook: www.facebook.com/nysconsumer. |
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