Digital Privacy: Our Highest Priority

As with any new technology release, especially a mobile app, privacy is top of mind for the end-user.

Remember the uproar around Facebook when the Messenger App was released? Or the Snapchat debate around saving private photos and messages? The fact is there will always be the lingering question of whether or not you can fully trust such products to safeguard your personal information.

We at Field Agent always want to be transparent to our end-users, whether our 500,000+ Agents or our Clients. User and client privacy is always our foremost concern, which we protect through various company policies. For instance, when we conduct research and audit projects for our clients, only the client and designated team members have access to the results. That's as far as it travels. Once a job is closed, we store the data for a limited time in the event the Client requests access in the future.

ClassCheck, our newest innovation, works similarly. Designed as a SaaS platform, there is no reason for our team to see any data, unless a special request from a user requires us to enter their account to resolve an issue.

I sat down with Rick West, Co-Founder and CEO of ClassCheck, to discuss some potential privacy questions that may arise with this new and innovative technology. Here are some highlights:

What are a couple of specific concerns you've heard since the launch of ClassCheck?

The main concern is in regard to the accessibility of the data our software collects, from GPS and time stamping to collecting photos and personal information. The stigma of "tracking" a student is very much a topline worry, and we sympathize with that. We are never tracking a student, we are simply providing the technology to verify attendance during the student's scheduled classes, which is set by an administrator at the institution.

Are these concerns similar to those Field Agent has seen in the past?

Yes. Our company is now five years old, and we have kept the same principles since day one. Privacy is just as much a priority for us as it is for the customer. Our team has built solid relationships on that foundation of trust. We have heard the phrase, "A lack of trust is your biggest expense," and that is something we never want to risk.

How does ClassCheck enhance privacy for its users compared to traditional class-checking methods?

With ClassCheck, we put standards in the hands of the user. Consider the example of a student-athlete. Instead of having a physical person monitoring a student-athlete's attendance on campus, the power goes back into the hands of the student-athlete, checking in on his/her mobile device.

This method is a lot more confidential than traditional class-checking methods. Imagine a sheet of paper or string of text messages with the student-athlete's schedule on it. Those two things could be compromised at any given time. ClassCheck eliminates these concerns with a secure management system.

Who has access to the ClassCheck management system?

The institution is in full control of who has access to their ClassCheck account. The administrator sets accounts and user permissions in the initial setup phase and can edit them at any time.

We follow the same protocols as any other sensitive data company. Users have the ability to set their own password, which is always encrypted. We never know an individual's password. The same process is used for online banking, utility accounts, and other companies that gather sensitive information – we never infringe on the privacy of a user or account holder.

Who has access to a student's class schedule?

This is completely up to the institution. With the ability to set user permissions, we created a customizable experience to match each institution's requirements.

The students' schedules are uploaded into the ClassCheck system for the purpose of push notifications and verifying they're at the right class at the right time. This information is not accessible outside of the ClassCheck login screen.

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For more information, please visit the ClassCheck FAQ page.