Understanding Website Privacy for Schools
Schools have long relied on tools like cookies, analytics platforms, embedded videos, chat tools, and advertising pixels to understand how families interact with their websites. Those insights are valuable, but the expectations surrounding how these technologies are used have changed.
Website privacy laws continue to shift, and litigation involving common website tracking technologies has increased. Many schools are asking the same questions: Is this something we really need to address? What steps should we take? How can we reduce our risk without giving up the tools that support enrollment marketing?
Part of Tassel’s commitment to providing marketing leadership is helping schools navigate changes that affect enrollment marketing. We’re sharing what we’re seeing, explaining how consent management fits into the conversation, and offering a fully managed solution for schools that choose to implement it.
Disclaimer: This page is provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. Schools should consult their attorney regarding legal questions or compliance obligations.
Why This is Becoming An Issue
Website privacy has received increased attention, and organizations across many industries have seen a rise in demand letters and lawsuits related to website tracking technologies. Schools aren’t being singled out, but they are among the organizations receiving increased attention.
Many of these claims focus on whether visitors are informed about tracking technologies and given an opportunity to provide consent before certain non-essential technologies begin collecting data.
Why Schools Can’t Just Remove Tracking
Website analytics and other tracking technologies play an important role in enrollment marketing. These tools help schools understand how prospective families use their websites, which content is most valuable, and where the online experience can be improved.
For many schools, removing these tools altogether isn’t a realistic solution.
Instead, the goal is to continue using these technologies thoughtfully by giving visitors greater transparency and control over how non-essential tracking technologies are used.
How Tassel Can help
If your school is evaluating consent management, Tassel can help. After evaluating several consent management providers, our team selected Termly because it offers the capabilities, flexibility, and ongoing support we believe schools need as website privacy expectations become more complex. Termly is also a Google-certified CMP Partner (Gold status).
Rather than simply providing software, Tassel delivers Termly as a fully managed service. We handle the implementation, configuration, and ongoing maintenance so your team can stay focused on serving prospective families.
This managed solution includes:
When your team adds new website tools, notify Tassel so we can review the consent configuration. Want to better understand how consent management works before deciding if it’s right for your school? Schedule a call with one of our solutions advisors.
Questions Other Schools Are Asking
These are some of the most common questions we hear from schools exploring consent management for the first time.
What is consent management?
Consent management gives website visitors information about the tracking technologies used on a website and allows them to choose whether certain non-essential technologies can be enabled.
When a visitor arrives on your website, a consent banner explains their options. Visitors can accept, decline, or customize their preferences based on the choices available.
Those preferences are then recorded and applied to the website experience. When properly configured, non-essential tracking technologies can be held until a visitor provides consent.
Consent management works alongside your existing website technologies and doesn’t replace analytics or other tools your school relies on.
How does consent management help reduce risk?
Consent management is designed to help reduce future risk associated with certain website privacy claims by giving visitors greater transparency and control over non-essential website tracking.
When properly configured, it can:
- Help hold non-essential tracking technologies until a visitor provides consent in the regions you designate.
- Help document and store visitor consent preferences.
- Help maintain an up-to-date cookie policy as website technologies change.
- Support more transparent website privacy practices.
While consent management is an important part of many organizations’ privacy practices, no technology can eliminate legal risk or guarantee compliance.
What doesn’t consent management protect against?
Consent management can help reduce website privacy risk for schools, but it’s important to understand its limitations.
Consent management does not:
- Guarantee compliance with privacy laws or regulations.
- Replace legal advice or guidance from your attorney.
- Resolve existing legal claims or disputes.
- Eliminate all website privacy risk.
Every school’s website and legal obligations are different. If you have questions about your school’s privacy practices or legal responsibilities, consult qualified legal counsel.
Why Choose Tassel® + Termly?
We evaluated multiple consent management providers before selecting Termly as the platform we offer our clients. Our decision was based on its capabilities, ease of implementation, ongoing management tools, and ability to support evolving website privacy needs. Termly is also a Google-certified CMP Partner (Gold status), providing an additional level of confidence in the platform.
Selecting a consent management platform is only part of the process. Proper implementation and ongoing maintenance are just as important.
When Tassel manages your consent solution, we:
- Scan your website to identify cookies and tracking technologies.
- Categorize cookies and configure your consent banner.
- Set up region-specific consent settings where appropriate.
- Reasonable adjustments to keep your consent banner operational through platform updates.
- Provide ongoing email support and maintenance.
This managed solution includes:
Our goal is to handle the technical details so your team can stay focused on serving prospective families while maintaining a thoughtful approach to website privacy.
Ready to Explore Consent Management?
Our team can answer your questions and walk you through how our managed consent solution works. Scheduke a time to learn more.