"Digital platforms are routinely used in universities to support teaching and learning, but they can also challenge academic freedom and intellectual property (IP) rights," according to this post. The authors point to their recent report (66 page PDF) outlining the risk and suggesting steps to be taken. "Responses to issues of academic IP and academic freedom in relation to edtech platforms are fragmented and context-dependent, with no sector-wide standards or rules, and minimal guidance for institutions on these matters when engaging in licensing or procurement." The risk I see here is that sector-wide standards or rules are more likely to be defined by platform companies than by the academic sector, which would entrench the challenges to academic freedom currently being faced today. Still, the right starting point is to "make contractual processes between universities and edtech vendors much more transparent" so people know where they stand.
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