Microsoft has been ordered by Austria's data-protection authority to stop using tracking cookies in software used in education. According to the decision, the technology is used in schools and has a direct impact on children's privacy, a sensitive issue in the digital age.
The order stems from complaints filed by a privacy advocacy group, which said the company's education software violates students' right to data protection. It pointed out that student data is collected and processed without sufficient consent or clear explanation.
Based on the latest ruling, the authority recognized that Microsoft had no legal basis to process certain personal data. As a result, the company was ordered to stop, within four weeks, the use of cookies that were not technically necessary on its education platforms.
It was also clarified that these cookies are used to analyze user behavior and are usually associated with advertising, even though they are installed on a student's device without consent. According to experts, this clearly does not meet the criteria for child-friendly privacy.
The move is part of the broader implementation of the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which aims to give citizens tighter control over how companies use their personal information—especially when it involves minors.
