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Danish privacy regulator Datatilsysnet has ruled that cities in Denmark need considerably more assurances about privacy to use Google service that may expose children\u2019s data, reports BleepingComputer<\/em><\/a>. The agency found<\/a> (translated<\/a>) that Google uses student data from Chromebooks and Google Workplace for Education \u201cfor its own purposes,\u201d which isn\u2019t allowed under European privacy law.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Municipalities will need to explain by March 1st how they plan to comply with the order to stop transferring data to Google, and won\u2019t be able to do so at all starting August 1st, which could mean phasing out Chromebooks entirely.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The regulator ruled that municipalities aren\u2019t allowed to send Google data unless the laws change or Google provides a way to filter students\u2019 information out. Google using it for purposes like performance analytics or feature development is a problem under their interpretations, even if it doesn\u2019t include targeted advertising. For instance, it\u2019s easy to see how regulators might take issue with student data being used to develop and improve AI features, which are increasingly part of Google Workspace<\/a> and Chromebooks<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Datatilsysnet says that cities hadn\u2019t actually done a thorough enough job of vetting the risk of using Google Workplace for Education before they approved their use by local schools. In 2022, it required 53 municipalities to re-do their assessments as a condition for rescinding<\/a> a previous data-sharing ban for the city of Helsing\u00f8r<\/a>. As part of the process, they needed to get information on how Google used the student information it collected and where it sent that data, leading to the new order.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n