Thousands of schools across Europe use Seesaw to meet the unique needs of young learners. Our integrated learning platform brings together high-quality instruction, actionable learning insights, and family engagement all in one place. With Seesaw, teachers have the tools to meet students where they are, students have the tools to engage deeply in learning, and families have the tools to be partners in their child’s education.
We know that online safety is critical to all our users – learners, educators, and parents alike. It matters to us, too. That’s why we prioritize compliance with GDPR and the UK Data Protection Act.
Because Seesaw is a US-based company, customers need to follow a few steps to ensure GDPR compliance when using Seesaw.
To ensure compliance, Follow our step-by-step guide:*
- Complete a Data Processing Impact Assessment (DPIA): Before you start using Seesaw, this will help you determine whether Seesaw’s data processing complies with your school’s requirements. Find Seesaw’s Sample DPIA here.
- Understand how Seesaw keeps your data safe: Review Seesaw’s Privacy Policy, Privacy Promises, and security practices.
- Review and sign Seesaw’s Data Processing Agreement: This agreement contains Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) and gives us permission to transfer your data to the US. Make sure you send your signed DPA to gdpr@seesaw.me per the instructions on the first page.
- 🇬🇧 Note to UK Customers: We updated our Data Processing Agreement to incorporate the international data transfer addendum to the European Commission’s standard contractual clauses (“EU SCCs”) for international data transfers (“UK Addendum”). This allows customers to use the EU SCCs for transfers of personal data from the UK to non-adequate countries.
- Customers are required to implement the UK Addendum into their contracts by executing a new DPA or signing the UK Addendum by the following dates:
- September 22, 2022 – New agreements sign on or after that date
- March 21, 2024 – Existing agreements
- For questions or help modifying the DPA, please contact gdpr@seesaw.me.
- If relying on parental consent as your basis for processing student data, obtain parental consent before adding students to Seesaw: You can find a sample parental consent form here.
- Review Seesaw’s subprocessors: These are partner companies that help us provide our services. Opt into the RSS feed to be notified of updates.
- Ensure all administrators who require receipt of legal notices create a Seesaw account: Seesaw provides legal notices like updates to our Privacy Policy to all Seesaw teachers and administrators.
*The information and the forms provided are intended as informational resources and are not legal advice. Customers should consult their DPO or legal counsel to ensure they comply with GDPR before using Seesaw.
QUESTIONS? CONTACT GDPR@SEESAW.ME
*The information and forms provided are intended as informational resources and are not legal advice. Customers should consult their DPO or legal counsel to ensure compliance before using Seesaw.
Seesaw has received the following internationally-recognized awards for its security and data privacy commitments
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the GDPR does not require storage of personal data in the EU. The GDPR does have specific requirements regarding the transfer of data out of the EU, UK, and Switzerland and Seesaw complies with those requirements through a variety of legal means.
Seesaw utilizes Standard Contractual Clauses (“SCCs”) for transfers of personal data out of the EU, UK, and Switzerland, which are a data transfer mechanism favored by the Court of Justice of the European Union. The SCCs are incorporated into Seesaw’s Data Processing Agreement.
Seesaw has always taken a privacy-first approach and prioritized the best interest of students to create a safe space to learn online. Seesaw complies with the UK Children’s Code.
Cookies are small text files that we transfer to your web browser that allow us to identify your web browser and store information about your account. We use these cookies to keep you logged into Seesaw, customize your Seesaw experience, understand how you use Seesaw, and promote Seesaw to relevant teachers and schools. You can choose to remove or disable cookies via your browser settings. Please be aware that Seesaw may not work properly if you disable or decline all cookies.
Yes. Both schools that use the free Seesaw product as well as schools that use our paid Seesaw for Schools product should sign the DPA and follow the steps above in order to use Seesaw in a GDPR-compliant way.
Yes, Seesaw has further committed to refer unresolved privacy complaints under the Privacy Shield Principles to an independent dispute resolution mechanism, the BBB EU PRIVACY SHIELD, operated by BBB National Programs. If you do not receive timely acknowledgment of your complaint, or if your complaint is not satisfactorily addressed, please visit https://bbbprograms.org/privacy-shield-complaints/ for more information and to file a complaint. This service is provided free of charge to you.
Seesaw uses a handful of third-party subprocessors – other companies that provide software services that help us do business. A list of our subprocessors can be found here. Subscribe to the RSS feed to get updates when we make changes to this list.
You can find more information about Seesaw’s subprocessors and the data they access here: https://web.seesaw.me/subprocessor.
Account Information: When you create an account on Seesaw we collect your name, email address, password, and optional profile picture. Seesaw may also collect your phone number if you enter it in your Account Settings. Teachers using Seesaw may add a Family Member’s email or phone number to Seesaw in order to send messages or updates about school work. We do not collect student phone numbers.
Students are not permitted to create an account by themselves but must be invited to a Seesaw class by a teacher or school administrator. Where students have permission to use Seesaw, Seesaw collects personally identifiable information that is necessary to provide the Service, including a student’s name, email address, and optional profile picture. This information may be entered by a teacher or the student or populated from the student’s account with a third-party sign-in service, such as their Google account.
Users can make changes to their profile, messaging preferences, and other account details in Account Settings.
Journal Content: Seesaw collects content that is added to a class or student journal. This content may include photos, audiovisual content (including from your device’s camera, microphone, or photo/video library), drawings, files, notes, hyperlinks, and other ways of documenting student learning. We regularly add types of information that can be uploaded to a Journal, and these are all covered by this Policy. We also collect comments on posts in the class and student journals, including text and voice recordings. Journal Content that is uploaded by a student or teacher may be considered a student education record as defined by FERPA.
Messages: Seesaw collects all messages that are sent and received in Seesaw. Messages may include text, audio, video, photos, drawings, files, notes, hyperlinks, or other information.
Activities: Teachers may use Seesaw to create activities to use with their students. Activities may include text or voice instructions for how to complete the activity, an example of a correct response, or a template for students to edit.
Activity Author Profiles: Teachers who choose to publish their activities to the Community Activity Library or the Activity Library managed by their school or district can also create an Activity Author Profile. This includes the name and profile picture they choose to publish on their Author Profile, as well as their school name and location.
Communications: Seesaw collects any information you send to us directly, such as email, phone, or chat communications, or through your responses to our optional surveys.
Information from your Google Account or other Third-Party Sign-in Service: Seesaw allows school administrators, teachers, Family Members, and students (after being invited by a teacher) to sign up for and log into our service using a Google or Clever Account. Teachers can also create student accounts on behalf of students in their class. When you create a Seesaw account using one of these Third-Party Services, we use the name, profile picture, and email address (if available) provided by these services. Seesaw does not share your information with these services.
Log Data: When you use Seesaw or visit our website, we receive log data such as your IP address, cookie identifiers, browser type, operating system, device information and identifiers, and your mobile carrier. In addition, we may receive or collect additional information such as the referring web page, referring search terms, pages visited, and other information about your interactions with Seesaw.