Edmodo, LLC allegedly collected names, email addresses, phone numbers, device information, and IP addresses of approximately 36 million children under 13 for advertising purposes until approximately September 2022 and “retaining this personal information indefinitely”

Antioch Unified didn’t use it.

The Department of Justice, together with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), today announced that Edmodo, LLC (Edmodo) has agreed to a permanent injunction and a $6 million civil penalty in connection with its online educational platform, as part of a settlement to resolve alleged violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA Rule), and the Federal Trade Commission Act. The civil penalty is suspended due to Edmodo’s inability to pay.

The Edmodo educational platform, sold to schools throughout the United States, enabled teachers to interface with students, including children under 13 years old, to host virtual class spaces, conduct discussions, share materials, make assignments, and provide quizzes and grades, among other things. In a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the government alleges that, until approximately September 2022, Edmodo collected the personal information of children under 13, including their names, email addresses, phone numbers, device information, and IP addresses. Edmodo allegedly collected such information without providing notice to the children’s parents or obtaining parental authorization to collect such personal information, as required by the COPPA Rule, and used this personal information to enable third parties to display targeted advertising to student users between 2018 and September 2022.

According to a May 2023 article by Human Rights Watch, “Edmodo was a website and app widely used by children in kindergarten, elementary, and middle schools across the US until September 2022, when the company pivoted to only selling its product to governments. The company benefited from explosive demand in 2020, reporting a 1,500 percent increase in users in the first five months of the pandemic as governments and schools rushed to connect children to online learning.

An investigation by Human Rights Watch in May 2022 found that Edmodo was designed with the capacity to surveil children and harvest their personal data for advertising. Our technical analysis found that Edmodo could not only invisibly tag children and identify their devices for the sole purpose of advertising to them, but also enabled other advertisers to do the same by embedding ad-specific third-party code on its platform. After multiple requests for comment, Edmodo told Human Rights Watch in July 2022 that it did ‘not share [its students’] personal data with any Edmodo business partners or third parties.’”

The complaint further asserts that Edmodo was retaining this personal information indefinitely. As of March 2020, Edmodo retained the personal information associated with approximately 36 million student accounts, of which only one million were actively using the platform. This indefinite retention violated COPPA’s requirement that an operator not retain personal information of children for longer than “reasonably necessary to fulfill the purpose for which [the information] was collected.”

The stipulated order, entered by the federal district court yesterday, enjoins Edmodo from collecting personal information from children in a manner that violates the COPPA Rule and prohibits Edmodo from retaining children’s personal information for longer than reasonably necessary to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected. The order also enjoins Edmodo from collecting more personal information than reasonably necessary for a child to participate in any activity offered on its service. It also requires Edmodo to destroy personal information improperly collected from children under age 13 and to comply with reporting, monitoring, and recordkeeping requirements. Edmodo is also subject to a civil penalty judgment of $6 million dollars, which is suspended due to Edmodo’s inability to pay.

“Children do not lose their privacy protections when they use the internet,” said U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey for the Northern District of California. “Congress and the FTC have established rules to govern websites and apps collecting and storing the personal information of children. The settlement being announced today demonstrates the Department of Justice’s resolve to enforce those rules. We will continue to work with our partners at the FTC to safeguard children’s online privacy.”

“The Justice Department takes seriously its mission to protect the online privacy rights of children and their parents. This order spells out clearly to all online providers that it is unacceptable to collect children’s personal information without their parents’ consent,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to protecting against unauthorized online collection and retention of information, especially from children.”

“This order makes clear that ed tech providers cannot outsource compliance responsibilities to schools, or force students to choose between their privacy and education,” said Director Samuel Levine of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Other ed tech providers should carefully examine their practices to ensure they’re not compromising students’ privacy.”

This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vivian Wang for the Northern District of California, Senior Trial Attorney James T. Nelson and Assistant Director Lisa Hsiao of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, and Gorana Neskovic and Peder Magee of the FTC.

Antioch Unified Didn’t Use Edmodo’s Technology

Superintendent Stephanie Anello said the Antioch Unified School District did not use Edmodo’s technology for online education during COVID.

For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the FTC, visit its website at www.FTC.gov.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Presented by Celebrate Antioch Foundation

Join us Sunday June 18th 10am-2pm for our 6th Annual Father’s Day Car Show!

Music, street vendors, food, beer and wine and lots of beautiful vehicles!

Trophies awarded for the following categories:

• Best In Show
• Hot Rod, Classic Pre 1950
• Classic After 1951
• Low Rider
• Sport
• Truck
• Peoples Choice.

All Vehicles must Check In 9am-10am. Entry Fee $25, Vehicle registration available day of or register or rent a vendor booth by using the online forms at Father’s Day Car Show – Celebrate Antioch Foundation.

Monica’s Riverview is located on the pier at One I (eye) Street in Antioch’s historic downtown Rivertown. For more information see www.visitmonicas.com.

During their meeting on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, the Board of Supervisors approved a proclamation declaring May as CalFresh Awareness Month (See below)

More Contra Costa County residents are encouraged to apply for the food assistance program.

CalFresh food benefits stretch household budgets, enabling recipients to afford nutritious food, including more fruits, vegetables, and other healthy options. In Contra Costa County, 93,169 Contra Costa County residents are receiving CalFresh as of March 2023. But many more may be eligible. Learn more, including how to apply, at ehsd.org.

CalFresh Facts:

• CalFresh Food benefits can be used at most grocery stores and even select online retailers; and matched dollar for dollar at participating farmers markets.
• Adults 18 years or older can be eligible for CalFresh, and may apply on behalf of their children, including non-citizen parents who may apply on behalf of their U.S.-born children.
• CalFresh benefits have contributed $297 million to our economy from April 2022 through March 2023 in Contra Costa County.

CalFresh Awareness Month news cards are posted on ehsd.org and on the County website. Also, social media posts @ContraCostaEHSD on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram. 

Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors

Proclaiming May 2023 as CalFresh Awareness Month

WHEREAS, CalFresh food benefits stretch household budgets, enabling recipients to afford nutritious food, including more fruits, vegetables, and other healthy options; and

WHEREAS, encouraging eligible residents to enroll in the CalFresh program will increase the health and well-being of eligible families and individuals by helping provide a means to meet their nutritional needs; and

WHEREAS, EHSD’s community partnerships, including the Food Bank of Contra Costa County and Solano, help raise awareness and visibility of CalFresh; and

WHEREAS, adults 18 years or older can be eligible for CalFresh, and may apply on behalf of their children, including non-citizen parents who may apply on behalf of their U.S.-born children; and

WHEREAS, CalFresh Food benefits can be used at most grocery stores and even select online retailers; and matched dollar for dollar at participating farmers markets; and

WHEREAS, 93,169 Contra Costa County residents are receiving CalFresh as of March 2023; and

WHEREAS, CalFresh benefits have contributed $297 million to our economy from April 2022 through March 2023 in Contra Costa County; and

WHEREAS, Contra Costa County is one of 34 counties in the state to offer the CalFresh Employment and Training Program, providing CalFresh participants training and assistance towards job readiness, job security, work norms and access to higher education; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors does hereby proclaim May 2023 as CalFresh Awareness Month in Contra Costa County, and honors all of the individuals, organizations and agencies working to ensure that all County residents have access to safe, nutritious food and support in achieving sustainable economic health.

By Sharon M. Lawrence, Esq, CEO, California CASA Association

In observance of National Foster Care Month, California CASA highlights the work of Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteers who advocate for the needs of children and youth in foster care. Thank you to the 11,000 CASA volunteers statewide for being a consistent presence and reliable resource for 12,700 children and youth during times of uncertainty and transition.

With more than 78,000 children and youth in foster care in the state—victims of neglect, abuse, or exploitation—we need to do more. A CASA volunteer often represents their only stable, trusted relationship with an adult; the one person who will speak up for them—in court, in school, and in the community—to make sure their voice is heard, and their needs remain the top priority. 

The CASA volunteer model works. Youth in foster care supported by a CASA volunteer are more likely to do better in school, receive more services, secure a permanent home, and have higher levels of hope.

California CASA works in partnership with our state’s 44 local CASA programs. Our vision is to ensure every child in foster care in California can have access to the transformative services and support of a CASA volunteer.

You can help foster more hopeful futures—one child, one CASA, at a time—by making a gift to California CASA today. Your gift will enable us to expand our collective impact so every child in foster care has a chance to thrive, with the skilled and compassionate support of a CASA volunteer.

By Dawn Kruger, Civic Outreach and Engagement Specialist, Contra Costa Clerk-Recorder’s Office

The Contra Costa Clerk-Recorder’s Office, in partnership with the California Department of State Parks, will be offering “Destination Weddings” on top of Mount Diablo on Friday May 26, 2023. Sixteen marriage ceremonies will be performed at the summit by Clerk staff between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm. Couples may have up to 30 guests, but there is limited seating available during the ceremony (16 chairs).

“Destination Weddings on Mount Diablo is always a favorite location for our customers,” Clerk-Recorder Registrar of Voters, Kristin Connelly said. “We are excited to be able to offer couples this accessible opportunity for a unique day to remember at the summit of a Bay Area jewel.”      

Mount Diablo State Park is a Contra Costa County landmark.  On a clear day visitors have views westward beyond the Golden Gate Bridge to the Farallon Islands; South to Mount Hamilton and the Santa Cruz Mountains, North to Mount Saint Helena; and East over the Delta waterways. The stunning views provide a special backdrop for wedding ceremonies.

Because of the event’s popularity, all ceremony appointments for this Destination Weddings event have been booked, and no unscheduled appointments will be accommodated. 

A marriage license must be obtained before a ceremony can be performed. Couples must purchase a license before their ceremony appointment at the County Clerk-Recorder’s office in Martinez. The fee for a public marriage license is $86, while a confidential license is $90. The civil marriage ceremony fee is $60.

For information about marriage license and ceremony services, go to www.contracostacore.us or call the office at 925-335-7900 Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:30 pm.

This ad is being run to correct the date in the ad that ran in our April/May print edition.

By Antioch Police Department

The Easter Egg Hunt will be on April 8th at 8:00 am and the location will be announced the morning of the event on our social media platforms. We cannot wait to host this year because the Easter Bunny will be there. We will also have our special golden eggs with secret surprises.

We included our QR code for our Venmo account, @Holiday-Fooddrive. Any donations go towards the many events we host throughout the year, and we are appreciative for any amount you are able to donate. You help make the Easter Egg Hunt, Backpack Drive, Halloween, Holiday Food Drive, Thanksgiving, and Christmas possible!