FERPA's Limitations Highlighted in Modern Digital Education Environment
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), enacted in 1974, is increasingly seen as outdated in the context of modern educational technology. Originally designed to protect paper records, FERPA does not adequately address the complexities of cloud-based platforms, artificial intelligence, and extensive data sharing prevalent in today's digital tools. The act's limitations are evident in the lack of transparency regarding data collection, storage, and third-party access. As digital tools become integral to education, there is a growing call for updated privacy protections that include clear consent for data use, end-to-end encryption, and breach disclosure.