Protecting Children’s Identity in Your Organization
Before you know it, children will be back in school. And the beginning of school, means asking parents to fill out lots of forms that contain personal information about their children. When requesting this information, please make absolutely sure that you need all of the data that you are requesting. Some of that information could make them become a victim of identity theft.
Other things to keep in mind to help prevent the possibility of the children’s identity being stolen:
Do You Really Need Social Security Numbers (SSN)?– Avoid asking for a Social Security number when children sign up for school programs or organizations. Only request it when absolutely necessary. The Social Security Administration explains when a SSN would be needed.
Make parents or guardians aware of their rights under FERPA – Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects the privacy of student records. FERPA requires schools to notify parents and guardians about their school directory policy. It also gives parents the right to opt out of the release of directory information to third parties.
Stress the importance of reading forms carefully – Make parents aware of how their child’s information will be used, if it will be shared, and with whom. And, give them the opportunity to “opt out” of their child’s information being shared.
Educate parents on additional steps they can take to prevent identity theft – Here are even more tips from The Federal Trade Commision (FTC) that you can provide about identity theft.
Contact CyberCrunch at 866-925-2354. We can provide safe and secure electronic recycling and data destruction solutions to ensure the safety of school student’s sensitive information. Our extensive experience in the educational sector with industry regulations and governmental policies, makes us an obvious choice for your school community.
