Any teacher bringing a new digital tool into the classroom eventually runs into the question: what happens to student data? The answer largely depends on how little data is collected in the first place — the best protection remains not asking for what you don't need.
Students play without an account
To join an activity, a student just types a first name — no email, no password, no birthdate. No permanent profile is created for unregistered students; what's retained is strictly the score and answers from that session, tied to the name typed, not a verified identity.
The teacher's account is separate from the student's
Teachers have their own account (email + password), with data managed per the platform's privacy policy. Students, by contrast, don't need an account unless they want extra benefits (saved progress, leaderboards, avatars) — and even then, the data required at sign-up stays minimal.
Who's responsible for what
The platform acts as a processor for data entered by the teacher or by students themselves — it stores and processes data as instructed, but the teacher (or school) remains the controller deciding what activity is assigned and what data is collected. It's the same legal distinction that applies to any digital tool used in class.
What to check before using a new platform
- Does it require students to have an account, or can they join via a link?
- What data does it actually collect at sign-up, if an account is needed?
- Is there a clear, publicly accessible privacy policy?
- Is student data sold or used for targeted advertising?
The right to deletion
Any user with an account (teacher or registered student) has the right to request data deletion under GDPR/similar laws — a serious platform has a clear process for this, not just a vague promise in the privacy text.
For ordinary classroom activities — quizzes, games, homework — the simplest and safest option remains account-free participation: the student plays, you see the result, and in the end no permanent profile is left to worry about.