This country may ban Gmail, Google Drive and other Google services in schools, here’s why

Denmark has banned the use of Google Workspace services and Chromebooks in schools in Helsingør after its data protection agency Datatilsynet said in its verdict that the data processing involving students using these services “does not meet the requirements” of the European Union’s GDPR data privacy regulations, as per a report by TechCrunch. The Workspace services that are banned include Gmail, Google Docs, Calendar and Google Drive.
As per Datatilsynet, Google’s terms and conditions allow data to be transferred to other countries for support purposes, even when it is stored in one of Google’s EU data centers.
The scrutiny began last year in the municipality of Helsingør where a risk assessment around the processing of personal data by Google was ordered after Helsingør reported a “breach of personal data security” in 2020, says the report.
Though the ban has been placed only in schools in Helsingør for now, it may“probably apply to other municipalities” that use Google Chromebooks and Workspace.
In a statement given to TechCrunch, a Google spokesperson said:
“We know that students and schools expect the technology they use to be legally compliant, responsible, and safe. That’s why for years, Google has invested in privacy best practices and diligent risk assessments, and made our documentation widely available so anyone can see how we help organisations to comply with the GDPR.
Schools own their own data. We only process their data in accordance with our contracts with them. In Workspace for Education, students’ data is never used for advertising or other commercial purposes. Independent organisations have audited our services, and we keep our practices under constant review to maintain the highest possible standards of safety and compliance.”