{"id":27872,"date":"2026-01-27T11:49:39","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T11:49:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/27\/austria-bans-microsoft-from-tracking-school-children-using-cookies-in-education-software-tech-news\/"},"modified":"2026-01-27T11:49:39","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T11:49:39","slug":"austria-bans-microsoft-from-tracking-school-children-using-cookies-in-education-software-tech-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/27\/austria-bans-microsoft-from-tracking-school-children-using-cookies-in-education-software-tech-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Austria Bans Microsoft From Tracking School Children Using Cookies In Education Software | Tech News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"story-9859152\">\n<p><span class=\"jsx-395e0e0beb19cb6e jsx-3759419209\">Last Updated:<\/span><time class=\"jsx-395e0e0beb19cb6e jsx-3759419209\">January 27, 2026, 16:36 IST<\/time><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"asubttl-9859152\" class=\"jsx-ee90caf6118df965 jsx-3592606048 asubttl-schema\">Austria ordered Microsoft to stop non-essential tracking cookies in 365 Education over GDPR violations. Microsoft has four weeks to comply.<\/h2>\n<div id=\"artshare\" class=\"jsx-5a1f752c26bd5231 artshare\">\n<div class=\"jsx-5a1f752c26bd5231 stickdiv\">\n<div class=\"jsx-5a1f752c26bd5231 deskwrapstkdiv\">\n<div class=\"jsx-5a1f752c26bd5231 fontchange\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.news18.com\/dlxczavtqcctuei\/news18\/static\/images\/english\/font.svg\" height=\"30px\" width=\"30px\" alt=\"font\" title=\"font\" class=\"jsx-5a1f752c26bd5231 lazyload\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"jsx-5a1f752c26bd5231 artsharwrp\"><a href=\"https:\/\/web.whatsapp.com\/send?text=Austria%20Bans%20Microsoft%20From%20Tracking%20School%20Children%20Using%20Cookies%20In%20Education%20Software - %0D%0Ahttps:\/\/www.news18.com\/tech\/austria-bans-microsoft-from-tracking-school-children-using-cookies-in-education-software-ws-l-9859152.html%3Futm_source%3Dwhatsapp%26utm_medium%3Dsocial_share%26utm_campaign%3Dnw18english%0D%0A %0D%0A Get the latest news anytime, anywhere. Install News18 app for free! %0D%0Ahttps:\/\/onelink.to\/website-share-eng\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"jsx-5a1f752c26bd5231 sclrnd wapp social_share\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-5a1f752c26bd5231 notifycnt social_share\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.news18.com\/dlxczavtqcctuei\/news18\/static\/images\/english\/new_share_icon.svg\" alt=\"new share icon\" title=\"new share icon\" width=\"8\" height=\"9\" class=\"jsx-5a1f752c26bd5231 social_share\"\/><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.news18.com\/dlxczavtqcctuei\/news18\/static\/images\/english\/new_whatsapp_icon.svg\" alt=\"new whatsapp icon\" title=\"new whatsapp icon\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" class=\"jsx-5a1f752c26bd5231 social_share\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"jsx-ee90caf6118df965 jsx-3592606048\">\n<figure class=\"jsx-ee90caf6118df965 jsx-3592606048 amimg\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Microsoft has four weeks to comply with the Austrian authority\u2019s order and stop using non-essential tracking cookies in Microsoft 365 Education without consent. \" title=\"Microsoft has four weeks to comply with the Austrian authority\u2019s order and stop using non-essential tracking cookies in Microsoft 365 Education without consent. \" src=\"https:\/\/images.news18.com\/ibnlive\/uploads\/2021\/07\/1627283897_news18_logo-1200x800.jpg?impolicy=website&amp;width=400&amp;height=225\" loading=\"eager\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"jsx-ee90caf6118df965 jsx-3592606048\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Microsoft has four weeks to comply with the Austrian authority\u2019s order and stop using non-essential tracking cookies in Microsoft 365 Education without consent. <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"0\" class=\"story_para_0\">Austria\u2019s data protection authority has barred Microsoft from using tracking cookies in education software, a privacy campaign group said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p id=\"1\" class=\"story_para_1\">The order was issued in response to two complaints filed by online rights campaigners against Microsoft in 2024, saying the company\u2019s education software violates data protection rights for children.<\/p>\n<p id=\"2\" class=\"story_para_2\">According to AFP, Austrian Data Protection Authority (DSB) last year determined that Microsoft \u201cillegally&#8221; tracked students using its education software and must grant them access to their data.<\/p>\n<p id=\"3\" class=\"story_para_3\">In the latest ruling, issued on January 21 and provided by Noyb (European Center for Digital Rights), DSB found Microsoft lacked a \u201clegal basis&#8221; to process \u201cpersonal data&#8221; and must therefore refrain \u201cwithin four weeks from using cookies that are not technically necessary&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p id=\"4\" class=\"story_para_4\">Noyb said the cookies, which analyse user behaviour and are used for advertising, were installed on the devices of a student without consent. \u201cTracking minors clearly isn\u2019t privacy-friendly,&#8221; Felix Mikolasch, data protection lawyer at Noyb, said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p id=\"5\" class=\"story_para_5\">Noyb said that these cookies were not technically required to deliver the education service and were set without any valid legal basis under Article 6 of the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).<\/p>\n<p id=\"6\" class=\"story_para_6\">According to TelecomLead, the decision not only orders Microsoft to halt such tracking practices but also exposes deeper structural problems around responsibility, transparency, and GDPR compliance in digital education across Europe.<\/p>\n<p id=\"7\" class=\"story_para_7\">Meanwhile, Microsoft has not issued a statement on the matter.<\/p>\n<p id=\"8\" class=\"story_para_8\">TelecomLead quoted Maartje de Graaf, data protection lawyer at Noyb, saying that Microsoft holds all key information about its data processing, yet points schools to handle transparency obligations and data subject rights.<\/p>\n<p id=\"9\" class=\"story_para_9\">Following the latest order, Microsoft has four weeks to comply with the Austrian authority\u2019s order and stop using non-essential tracking cookies in Microsoft 365 Education without consent. The company can appeal the decision to Austria\u2019s Federal Administrative Court.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-682fbfc7a2c851af artnws newsletter\">\n<p>Handpicked stories, in your inbox<\/p>\n<p>A newsletter with the best of our journalism<\/p>\n<p><input type=\"text\" placeholder=\"Enter Your Email\" class=\"jsx-682fbfc7a2c851af artnwinpt\" value=\"\"\/><button class=\"jsx-682fbfc7a2c851af subscrbe newsletter\">submit<\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"jsx-ee90caf6118df965 jsx-3592606048 atbtlink fp\"><span>First Published:<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"rs\">\n<p>January 27, 2026, 16:36 IST<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"jsx-ee90caf6118df965 jsx-3592606048 brdcrmb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/\">News<\/a>  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/tech\/\">tech<\/a>  <span class=\"brdout\"> Austria Bans Microsoft From Tracking School Children Using Cookies In Education Software<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"coral-wrap\" class=\"jsx-ba4d8f086a12294f \">\n<div class=\"jsx-ba4d8f086a12294f coral-cont\">\n<div class=\"jsx-ba4d8f086a12294f coltoptxt\">Disclaimer: Comments reflect users\u2019 views, not News18\u2019s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/disclaimer\/\" class=\"jsx-ba4d8f086a12294f\">Terms of Use<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/privacy_policy\/\" class=\"jsx-ba4d8f086a12294f\">Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"jsx-ee90caf6118df965 jsx-3592606048 rmbtn news18_read_more\">Read More<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/tech\/austria-bans-microsoft-from-tracking-school-children-using-cookies-in-education-software-ws-l-9859152.html\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Last Updated:January 27, 2026, 16:36 IST Austria ordered Microsoft to stop non-essential tracking cookies in 365 Education over GDPR violations. Microsoft has four weeks to comply. Microsoft has four weeks to comply with the Austrian authority\u2019s order and stop using non-essential tracking cookies in Microsoft 365 Education without consent. Austria\u2019s data protection authority has barred&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27584,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27872","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tech"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27872","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27872"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27872\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27584"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27872"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27872"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27872"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}