Security News > 2022 > July > Chrome use subject to restrictions in Dutch schools over data security concerns
The Dutch Ministry of Education has decided to partially suspend the use of Chrome OS and Chrome web browser until August 2023 over concerns about data privacy.
Since the national watchdog doesn't know where students' personal data is stored and processed, there are concerns about the violation of the European Union's GDPR. The Minister of Education and the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education have co-signed a letter to the Dutch parliament where they describe a range of cybersecurity and data protection matters.
The letter explains that conversations were held with Google, Microsoft, and Zoom, on the sensitive matter of data protection, and assurances were given to make future versions of software products more transparent and compatible with data protection regulations enforced across the EU space.
Google's services have raised multiple concerns across Europe, about data privacy and the opaque data collection practices that underpin them.
In January 2022, Austria's data protection authority decided that using Google Analytics violates GDPR, because collecting website visitors' data was done with the the users' specific consent and transferred outside Europe.
Update July 23: A member of the Google Netherlands Communications team has informed Bleeping Computer that Chrome and Chrome OS are not practically banned in the education sector of the country, and that schools may continue using them provided that they perform certain actions themselves to strengthen data security and ensure student privacy.