Over 100 organizations and individuals have signed on to a letter warning about the downside of remote learning in the age of COVID-19 and beyond. 

Currently, Congress is allocating billions of dollars to make it easier for broadband-enabled hybrid in class/at home schooling models and all-online learning. 

Related: FCC Spreading Word on EdTech Funding 

As some school districts pull back on reopening in person due to spikes in the virus, privacy and other groups are warning parents and schools to "look past simplistic solutions peddled to increase EdTech profits, and find ways to limit students’ time on digital devices." 

They said they recognize there is uncertainty about how schools will operate. "Nevertheless, whether school is in-person, remote, or some combination thereof, educators should ensure that their curricula and assignments center on offline, high-engagement components such as hands-on, project- and place-based learning," they said. 

Related: Senate Bill Would Spur Ed Tech 

Their concern is the push for remote learning will translate to EdTech companies capturing more children's data, crowd teachers out of education budgets, and subject kids to "relentless marketing efforts," all to "capture a larger portion of the $10 trillion global education market" and sell families on what they said is the false premise that EdTech is effective and budget-friendly. 

The letter was prepared by the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood's Children's Screen Time Action Network. Signatories  include 70 individuals and 36 advocacy groups including Center for Digital Democracy, the United Church of Christ, and the Massachusetts Teachers Association. 

Almost three dozen privacy and child advocates want the Federal Trade Commission to subpoena records from various companies, likely including Google, Disney, Viacom, and others, before it makes any changes to its COPPA Rule, which enforces the Child Online Privacy Protection Act.

That is according to a copy of their comments to the FTC. The FTC is currently deciding whether and how to change that enforcement in the wake of complaints about how content providers target that audience with information and/or advertising and in turn, collect data from those kids. 

Related: FTC Extends COPPA Comment Deadline 

COPPA requires operators of web sites targeted to kids or with actual knowledge that kids are using the site to obtain parental permission to collect, use or disclose personal information of anyone under 13.  

The groups are not suggesting some specific malfeasance, just saying the FTC needs to collect more information before taking action, given ongoing concerns about data collection. 

Groups calling for the subpoenas include the American Academy of Pediatrics, Consumer Reports, the Campaign for a Consumer-Free Childhood and the Center for Digital Democracy. 

"As kids are spending more time than ever on digital devices, we need the full power of the law to protect them from predatory data collection -- but we can't protect children from Big Tech business models if we don't know how those models truly work," said CCFC executive director Josh Golin. "The FTC must use its full authority to investigate opaque data and marketing practices before making any changes to COPPA. We need to know what Big Tech knows about our kids." 

Google is changing its YouTube Kids app to give parents more control over content their kids access, and is expanding from an app to a YouTube Kids web site. 

Starting Thursday (Aug. 29), parents can select from three different age groups of content: 

"Preschool (ages 4 & under) is designed to allow kids to watch videos that promote creativity, playfulness, learning, & exploration.  

"Younger (ages 5-7) is designed to allow kids to explore their interests and search for a wide variety of topics, including songs, cartoons, crafts, & more.  

"Older (ages 8-12) is designed to allow kids with growing independence to search & explore additional music videos, gaming, family vlogs, science, and more." 

Based on the level selected, content the kids can search for will be limited to that level. 

Related: Privacy Groups Say Kids Programming Should Be Off YouTube 

"We built YouTube Kids to create a safer environment for kids to explore their interests and curiosity, while giving parents the tools to customize the experience for their kids. We continue to improve the app based on feedback from parents and experts," YouTube said. 

The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, which has been critical of YouTube Kids, took some credit for the change, but also wanted more.  

Related: Sen. Markey Says Kids Need Online Privacy Constitution 

"We’re pleased that our advocacy has led Google to make substantive changes to protect children on YouTube," the group said. "If Google stops targeted marketing to kids on YouTube, that’s a great step forward. And it’s encouraging that Google plans to expand its YouTube Kids platform from an app to a website. But will they take all kids’ content off of the main YouTube site? That’s where the great majority of children do their viewing, and if Google will still show children’s content there, and collect their data in violation of federal privacy law, then children will still be at risk. 

"It’s also deeply concerning that even after all the issues with YouTube's algorithm, not all YouTube Kids content will be reviewed by humans.  

YouTube concedes that not all content can be manually reviewed, but also points out that there is an opportunity to flag content.