Which legislation primarily impacts online privacy policies in schools?

The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is the legislation that primarily impacts online privacy policies in schools, particularly in how personal data from children under 13 years of age can be collected and used by online services. COPPA requires websites and online services to obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information from children, ensuring that schools must be aware of and comply with these regulations when utilizing online tools that involve student data.

The Children's Internet Privacy Act of 2000, while it has a similar focus on protecting children's data, does not specifically govern the entire landscape of online privacy policies in the same comprehensive way as COPPA. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act primarily addresses copyright issues related to digital content and does not directly affect privacy policies. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act deals with the privacy of medical records and health information, which is outside the realm of online privacy policies for educational institutions. Thus, COPPA stands as the most relevant legislation concerning online privacy in the school context.