TO PREVENT possible violations of data privacy, the National Privacy Commission reminded schools engaged in online learning to strictly enforce a social media policy.

The NPC said that schools must “strictly enforce a social media policy that reminds parties concerned on the possible data privacy consequences of posting screen captures, images, videos, chats, and sounds involving students and teachers during online learning on social media platforms.”

“The efforts of schools to simulate physical classrooms to provide a sense of normalcy for education is not unnoticed by the Commission. However, seeing as the Covid19 pandemic caught all of us unprepared, there is a need to develop and improve policies that allow effective online teaching and learning without endangering data privacy rights,” Privacy Commissioner Raymund Liboro said in a statement.

To protect the data privacy of teachers and students, the submission of school requirements may be done through available online messaging applications on a case-to-case basis, NPC added.

School works should only be sent directly to teachers and should be available publicly. Also, teachers should not post examinations or activities in public.

The NPC said that opening of cameras during classes is allowed.

However, it stressed that policies or guidelines on the use of cameras for online classes and examinations should be reasonable and necessary to supervise and monitor learners and help educators in teaching.

Recording of online classes is also allowed but parents and students must be informed and they must agree to it.