K-12 students in California should have more online privacy protections in 2016. a new law will change the way technology companies operate.

It’s called the Student Online Personal Information Protection Act. It prevents online educational services from selling student information to third parties. Companies also cannot use any information gathered to target advertising to students.  

“Hopefully the bill will give parents confidence that all companies, not just the ones that have an educational mission, will properly use this data,” says John Doherty with Technet, which represents the technology industry.

Under the law, companies can’t create a profile of students but are allowed to use some student information to help improve their products. 

The legislation was authored by former Senate President pro Tem Darrel Steinberg in 2014.