Tech Disparity: Low-Income Students Exposed to More Ads

A recent analysis reveals that students from low-income families are disproportionately attending schools lacking proper scrutiny of their educational technology, raising concerns about their data privacy. The study, conducted by Internet Safety Labs, indicates that these schools are more likely to utilize apps containing advertisements, posing additional risks to student privacy.

Even schools with a majority of American Indian/Alaskan Native students faced similar challenges, despite recommending or mandating fewer apps compared to wealthier counterparts. Shockingly, schools catering to the lowest-income students were found to be three times more inclined to endorse apps featuring behavioral ads compared to those serving families earning over $150,000 annually.

Lisa LeVasseur, the executive director of Internet Safety Labs, expressed disappointment at these findings, emphasizing the discrepancy between the recommended technology and its potential risks. Furthermore, schools with majority-Black student populations were identified as having the highest prevalence of ads and trackers on their websites.

This pattern of data collection presents a worrying scenario for minority and low-income families, as emphasized by LeVasseur. While individual ads in educational apps might seem harm

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