Google has denied accusations which claimed that it invaded students' privacy by collecting their personal as well as internet browsing information using Chromebook.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation has filed a complaint against Google with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday. The group alleges that Google Chrome web browser's "Sync" feature enables the search giant to gather information of websites students visit, search term they use, videos they watch and their saved passwords. The Sync feature comes enabled by default on Chromebook computers sold to schools.
The EFF claims Google Chromebook collects students' personal data and tracks their internet browsing activity for non-advertising purposes and that too without taking any permission from the students or their parents.
This violates the Student Privacy Pledge, of which Google is also a co-signer. The pledge clearly states that school service providers will not collect, maintain, use, share or sell student personal information beyond that needed for authorized educational/school purposes. The pledge was signed by 200 companies including Apple, Google and Microsoft.
"Despite publicly promising not to, Google mines students' browsing data and other information, and uses it for the company's own purposes," said EFF Staff Attorney Nate Cardozo, in a statement, according to Fox News.
"Making such promises and failing to live up to them is a violation of FTC rules against unfair and deceptive business practices. Minors shouldn't be tracked or used as guinea pigs, with their data treated as a profit center," Cardozo added.
"If Google wants to use students' data to 'improve Google products,' then it needs to get express consent from parents."
In response to the complaint, Google's director of Google Apps for Education, Jonathan Rochelle, said that Google policies completely comply with current laws and industry standards including the Student Privacy Pledge and that the company is committed to keeping student data private and secure, reported Tech Crunch.
