Reflecting on Data Privacy, Consent, and Open Copyright

Thinking About Privacy in Education

This week’s theme on data privacy, consent, and open copyright made me realize how often we click “accept” or use tools without thinking about what happens to our data. Reading Openness, Digital Literacy and Connected Learning helped me see how powerful open and networked learning can be, but it also reminded me that privacy and trust are the foundation for those spaces to work.

I also learned that in British Columbia, universities and schools must follow the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) when handling student data, while private organizations follow PIPA. Before this week, I didn’t know there were different laws for public and private sectors. It showed me that respecting privacy is not just a legal rule — it’s also an ethical responsibility when we share or collect information from others.

Consent and Respect

What really stood out to me is that consent is more than just a checkbox. Even if something is already public, asking before resharing shows respect for the original creator. I’ve realized that as future educators and digital creators, we should be clear about how people’s content or data will be used, and give them a choice to say yes or no.

Open Copyright and Sharing Safely

We also explored Creative Commons (CC) licenses, which I found really useful. I tried the Creative Commons License Chooser to see how I can label my own work. I like that CC lets you stay the copyright owner while giving others permission to use your work under certain conditions, like crediting you or sharing alike.

I also learned to find media from open-license sites like Pixabay and Wikimedia Commons, and to always give clear attribution with the author name, title, source, and license.

Alt text: Icons showing Creative Commons license symbols, a lock representing data privacy, and a network graphic symbolizing open education.
Attribution: Image by Creative Commons, used under CC BY 4.0.

My Takeaways

This week helped me understand that being part of an open online learning community means being a responsible digital citizen. I need to protect others’ privacy, ask for consent, give credit, and license my own work clearly. These steps might seem small, but they build trust — and that trust makes collaborative learning possible. Going forward, I want to be more intentional about how I use and share media, and how I explain privacy and copyright to others.