5 tools still used in Quebec schools that carry a documented Law 25 risk. Here they are and why. All facts cited in this article come from each tool's official, publicly available documentation (privacy policies, subprocessor lists, help centres), with verbatim quotes and links to original sources. The goal is not to disqualify these tools: it's to lay out the facts as written by the companies themselves.
Methodological note
This article does not constitute legal advice. Quotes are taken from official documentation available publicly, rechecked on September 30, 2026. Policies evolve. Consult your administration and your CSS's privacy officer before making decisions based on this article.
Your students' photos stay on a server in Quebec. Parents join on your invitation.
Try LinoClass for freeThe 5 tools
1. Remind
Parent-teacher communication Risk: data transferred to the United StatesRemind is a messaging app widely used by Quebec teachers to send reminders and announcements to parents. Its simplicity made it a popular pick, especially for supply teachers who don't have access to their CSS's official systems.
What the privacy policy says
Remind is now part of ParentSquare, and ParentSquare's policies apply. They rule out targeted advertising:
« We do not sell your personal data or share your personal data for targeted advertising. »
Remind Chat Privacy Policy [1]
The Law 25 question is rather where the data goes:
« Remind Hub complies with the Data Privacy Framework (DPF) for transferring data to the United States. »
ParentSquare Privacy Policy [1]
Transfer to the US, no Canada option mentioned. Any use by a Quebec CSS that involves identifying information about students requires a prior PIA, per section 70.1 of the Access Act [2].
AlternativesFor one-way communication (reminders, announcements): your CSS's institutional email system, or the announcements feature of your approved pedagogical platform. For two-way communication: a tool approved by your CSS and hosted in Canada.
2. Bloomz
Parent-teacher communication Risk: sponsorships in the free version, hosting location not stated, check whether your CSS has done a PIABloomz is positioned as a ClassDojo alternative for parent-teacher communication. It's less well-known in Quebec than its competitors, so it can end up in a classroom without being formally evaluated by the CSS.
What the privacy policy says
« We use cookies, pixel tags and similar technologies to collect visitor information and to tailor the apps for you »
Bloomz Privacy Policy [3]
« Because of the cost associated with free accounts, we work with family-friendly third-party brands to sponsor classrooms and help cover those costs. »
Bloomz Privacy Policy [3]
Free accounts therefore show sponsorships to teachers and parents. Bloomz states they are never shown to students and that no personally identifiable information is shared with advertisers. Its policy does not say where data is hosted.
The biggest practical issue: a CSS must complete a PIA before adopting a tool like this (section 63.5 of the Access Act) and before releasing personal information outside Quebec (section 70.1) [2]. Used without that assessment, it sits in an unevaluated zone, which leaves the CSS with uncovered liability if an incident occurs. Ask the publisher where data is hosted, and ask your CSS whether a PIA has been completed.
AlternativesIf you're using Bloomz without CSS approval, flag it to your administration and ask for a PIA or an approved alternative. If parent communication is the core need, ask your CSS what tools they've formally approved.
3. ClassDojo (free version)
Portfolio, communication, behaviour management Risk: US-only storage, optional biometric dataClassDojo remains one of the most used tools in Quebec elementary classrooms. Its Law 25 issue is documented in its own technical specifications.
What the official documentation says
« Student Data is stored in the United States with our service provider, Amazon Web Services (AWS) (us-east-1). »
ClassDojo Security & Legal page [4]
The us-east-1 region is Northern Virginia. No Canada storage option is offered, even on paid plans.
The CSS des Samares withdrew ClassDojo from all its schools after assessing the security risk. The CSS clarified publicly that the decision was preventive, not a response to a confirmed data breach.
AlternativesFor behaviour management: a paper system or an internal CSS digital board. For parent communication and digital portfolio: a Canadian-hosted tool approved by your CSS.
4. Seesaw (free version)
Digital portfolio Risk: transfer to the United States, no documented Canada optionSeesaw is a widely used digital portfolio in elementary classrooms: the company says it reaches more than 590,000 educators, students, and families in Canada [8]. Its Law 25 issue differs from ClassDojo's: Seesaw explicitly acknowledges Law 25 in its policy, but its current documentation describes no Canadian hosting option.
What the privacy policy says
« In accordance with the notification requirement of Quebec Law 25, Personal Information collected through our services will be transferred to the United States. »
Seesaw International Privacy Policy [5]
Its subprocessor list states where the data held by AWS, "Everything in Seesaw", is stored:
« Where is data shared with Amazon stored: United States, UK, & Australia »
Seesaw Trust Center, Subprocessors [6]
Canada is not on that list. Free or paid, information collected in Quebec is transferred to the United States, as Seesaw itself states.
AlternativesFor a digital portfolio hosted in Canada, check with your administration for CSS-approved tools, or evaluate Canadian alternatives during summer planning.
5. Padlet (free version / public boards)
Collaboration, displaying student work Risk: public boards indexed by search engines, link-only access by defaultPadlet is a popular visual collaboration tool for displaying student work, brainstorming, and interactive presentations. Its appeal: no account required for students, intuitive interface, easy photo drop. Its problem: a board set to public is accessible to anyone on the internet.
What the privacy policy says
« Any content you post on a public padlet is also indexable by search engines and, as such, is open to the public. »
Padlet Privacy Policy [7]
Its policy does not state the hosting country. The main Padlet problem for Quebec classrooms is rather board visibility. A Padlet board set to public is indexable by search engines. If a teacher creates a public board with identified student work (first name + assignment + class name in the title), that content can appear in search results. Law 25 requires appropriate access controls for personal information. A public board accessible without authentication does not meet this requirement.
Padlet offers privacy options: private boards, secret link access, password access. According to its help centre, a new board defaults to "Secret" on individual plans: it is not public, but anyone with the link can view it without signing in. School plans restrict it by default to the school's accounts [7].
Mitigation if your CSS has approved PadletSystematically enable the "Secret" option (private link) on every board containing identified student work. Never use a student's full name in the title of a public board. For work displays you want parents to see, a tool with parent authentication is preferable.
The common thread
These five tools share something: they were all adopted for good pedagogical reasons, often before Law 25 was fully in force. They're functional, well-designed, and easy to use. The problem isn't their pedagogical quality. It's that their privacy policies reflect business models built for markets where regulation is less strict than Quebec's since September 2024.
For elementary teachers, the right move is not to stop using digital tools. It's to check, before back to school 2026, which of these tools your CSS has formally approved, and if you're using one that hasn't been approved, flag it to your administration.
Our complete Law 25 guide for elementary teachers details the 10 concrete obligations and what you need to check before the school year starts.
Ready to try LinoClass?
LinoClass combines digital portfolio and parent communication in a Canadian-hosted web app. No options to configure, no US replication: the portfolio and database stay in Quebec, so the PIA required before releasing information outside Quebec (section 70.1 of the Access Act) does not apply to that data. Your CSS must still complete a PIA before adopting the tool, as for any system that handles personal information (section 63.5) [2].
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