Open letter from the President of the Personal Data Protection Office to school principals, teachers

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, Principals, Teachers, Dear Parents and Students,

From 1 September 2025, health education (non-compulsory) and civic education (compulsory) will be included in the school curriculum. This is an extremely important change, as it also covers issues related to personal data protection, privacy and the informed use of new technologies, including the risks associated with digital addiction and the challenges of artificial intelligence and virtual reality. This is a systemic step whose importance cannot be overestimated, as it will reach all schools in Poland, regardless of whether they have previously participated in optional programmes, such as the Personal Data Protection Office's educational programme for primary and secondary schools throughout Poland, entitled ‘Your data – your concern’, which has been running since 2009.

I warmly encourage the school community—the principals, teachers, parents, and students—not only to participate in the “Your data - your concern” programme, but also to actively participate in health education classes,which, in addition to health prevention issues, will address issues related to responsible Internet use, emphasising the great need for digital hygiene, which is essential for proper development and maintenance of both physical and mental health. It should be emphasised that personal data concerning health, including mental and physical health, as sensitive data, are subject to special legal protection. Children, who are often unaware of the risks, must be given special protection. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) clearly states that European Union countries should attach importance to protecting the privacy of their youngest citizens. The introduction of educational elements, during which students also learn about ways to prevent various types of addiction, including Internet addiction, is therefore not only an expression of concern for the safety of children and counteracting numerous threats to the proper development of young people, but also the implementation of obligations under EU law and the Constitution of the Republic of Poland (in particular those arising from Articles 47 and 51).

I believe that education in this area is absolutely essential in today's world. In fact, the sooner young people learn to understand the importance of protecting their personal data and privacy, the more effectively they will be able to protect themselves and others in a world full of digital threats.

As President of the Personal Data Protection Office, I would like to emphasise that health and civic education provide a unique opportunity to raise awareness among young people about their right to privacy, safe online behavior, and the protection of personal data, including sensitive data such as health data, including mental health data. The GDPR clearly indicates the need for special protection of the privacy of the youngest, who are often not fully aware of the risks. The issues that will be addressed during health education lessons are the foundation of responsible use of new technologies. Therefore, I am convinced that these lessons will be an essential source of knowledge for students, enabling them to become young participants in the digital society who are aware of their rights and obligations.

Issues related to personal data protection and privacy are becoming particularly important in view of the challenges posed by new technologies and disturbing phenomena, such as the use of deepfakes to violate children's personal rights (as in the case reported by the Personal Data Protection Office to law enforcement authorities https://uodo.gov.pl/pl/138/3727). It is therefore all the more welcome that the core curriculum for health education also includes content on cyberbullying, hate speech, and the challenges associated with the development of artificial intelligence, thanks to which the younger generation will be systematically prepared for the conscious and responsible use of technology. This is very important because both of these areas have a direct impact on the safety of young people in the digital world.

It is worth noting that initiatives such as the introduction of the European Health Data Space (EHDS) are being developed at the European level, which in the future will allow each of us to actively manage our health data. In order for students to take full advantage of these solutions, they need to learn about data protection and the right to privacy today.

As always, I also offer my support in the field of education through materials, training, and the experience of teachers implementing the Personal Data Protection Office's programme “Your data – your concern.”  Recruitment for the 16th edition of the Programme begins on September 1, 2025. I warmly encourage you to sign up.

I ask principals and teachers to be fully committed to implementing the new curriculum content, parents to support their children and talk to them about their right to privacy and digital safety, and students to actively participate in classes that will prepare you for conscious and responsible living in a digital society.

Health and civic education are not just new subjects—they are an investment in the future of an informed, responsible, and safe society. I believe that their introduction into the core curriculum is the right and necessary decision, and that personal data protection should be a key pillar of this decision.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all schools that have implemented the “Your data – your concern” programme in previous years for their long-standing support of the programme’s activities. I would also like to encourage them to join this year’s 16th edition and participate in health education classes.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all the best for the 2025/2026 school year.

Yours sincerely,

Mirosław Wróblewski

President of the Personal Data Protection Office