The essentials, TL;DR
The legal point: Law 25 does not prohibit transfers outside Quebec. It requires a privacy impact assessment (PIA) before the transfer, and that the destination country offer adequate protection. Responsibility rests with the school service centre (CSS).
ClassDojo: Explicit storage on AWS us-east-1 (Virginia, USA). No Canada option. Optional audio features that capture voice characteristics, which ClassDojo describes as possible biometric data. The CSS des Samares withdrew the app over security concerns.
Seesaw: Storage on AWS in the USA, the UK and Australia, according to its subprocessor list. No Canada option is described in its current documentation. Its international policy explicitly acknowledges transfer to the USA under Law 25.
Google Workspace for Education: Data Regions feature lets you choose between USA, Europe, or worldwide distribution. Canada is not an option. Available only for Education Standard and Education Plus (not the free Fundamentals version).
Three tools are widely used in Quebec elementary classrooms: Seesaw, ClassDojo, and Google Classroom. The question is not "which one is legal," but "what does each privacy policy actually say, and how does it align with Law 25's requirements."
This article reports what each company's official policies say themselves, with verbatim quotes and source URLs. Conclusions are for each CSS and teacher to draw, in consultation with their administration.
Your students' photos stay on a server in Quebec. Parents join on your invitation.
Try LinoClass for freeWhich Law 25 criteria matter most when evaluating a tool?
Law 25 does not include a list of approved or prohibited tools. It sets requirements that each organization must apply. Three criteria are enough to quickly evaluate a tool:
- Data location. Where is data physically stored? If it leaves Quebec, the organization must have conducted a PIA.
- Nature of data collected. The minimization principle: the tool should only collect what is strictly necessary.
- Consent, portability, and erasure mechanisms. Parents must be able to give and withdraw consent, request access, and obtain deletion.
For the full legal detail, see our article: Law 25 in Quebec Elementary Schools: What Teachers Need to Know in 2026.
ClassDojo
« Student Data is stored in the United States with our service provider, Amazon Web Services (AWS) (us-east-1). »
ClassDojo Security & Legal page
The us-east-1 region is Northern Virginia, USA. No Canada storage option is offered. Any use by a Quebec CSS requires a prior PIA under Law 25.
Seesaw
« 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
« Where is data shared with Amazon stored: United States, UK, & Australia »
Seesaw Trust Center, Subprocessors page
Canada is not on that list, and Seesaw's Canada page does not describe a Canadian storage option. For a school service centre, the data therefore leaves Quebec, and a prior PIA is required under section 70.1 of the Access Act (A-2.1).
Google Classroom
« choose to store your covered data in a specific geographic location (the United States or Europe) »
Google Workspace Knowledge Base, Data Regions
Canada is not a location option. The choices are: United States, Europe, or worldwide distribution. Data Regions is available only for Education Standard and Education Plus, not for the free Fundamentals version.
Which tool is most Law 25 compliant? Summary table
| Criterion | ClassDojo | Seesaw | Google Classroom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada storage available | No | No documented option | No (US or Europe) |
| Default storage | USA (us-east-1) | USA (AWS) | Worldwide |
| Direct parent messaging | Yes | Yes | Not native |
| PIA required by CSS | Yes | Yes | Yes |
The Quebec alternative exists
LinoClass is a Quebec-built progressive web app hosted in Canada, designed to comply with Law 25 from day one. No storage option to activate: it's the default design. A permanent free plan for up to 35 students, no credit card required.
Try LinoClass for freeCreate your class and invite the parents.
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