A class-action lawsuit filed in May 2023 accused the College Board of illegally selling student data collected during the PSAT. While the judge dismissed the case in May 2023, questions about data privacy and student consent persist.
Detailed Overview:
- Allegations: The lawsuit claimed the College Board collected personal information (including names, grades, and demographics) without proper consent through the PSAT and Student Search Service, then sold it to third parties for marketing and profit.
- Damages Sought: Plaintiffs sought monetary compensation for students and an injunction to prevent future data sales.
- Status: The judge dismissed the case on May 12, 2023, citing the College Board’s arbitration agreement, requiring individual arbitration instead of class action suits.
- Impact: Though dismissed, the case raised concerns about student data privacy, highlighting the lack of transparency and potential misuse.
- Additional Information:
- This wasn’t the College Board’s first data privacy issue. In 2019, they paid a $4.3 million fine for violating children’s online privacy laws.
- The case was brought by the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse and the Law School at UC Berkeley.
| Complete Date | Case | Citation | Court | Short Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2023 | Unidentified Students et al. v. College Board | N.D. Cal., No. 3:23-cv-03211 | United States District Court for the Northern District of California | Class action lawsuit alleged College Board illegally sold PSAT data, violating student privacy. |
| May 12, 2023 | Unidentified Students et al. v. College Board | N.D. Cal., No. 3:23-cv-03211 | United States District Court for the Northern District of California | Judge dismissed case due to College Board’s arbitration agreement. |
Disclaimer: This information is based on publicly available sources and is not intended as legal advice. Please consult with an attorney for legal matters.
