Introduction

Artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming a cornerstone of modern K–12 education. Tools like intelligent tutoring systems, adaptive learning platforms, and predictive analytics are helping schools provide personalized instruction and automate administrative tasks. But with this innovation comes heightened concern, especially regarding data privacy, exposure to harmful content, and maintaining academic integrity. Children are uniquely vulnerable in digital environments, and educators must ensure that technologies meant to help don’t inadvertently harm. Blockchain—a secure, decentralized digital ledger originally developed for cryptocurrencies—is now emerging as a powerful tool in education. By offering transparency, tamper-resistance, and distributed control, blockchain has the potential to protect students from many of the risks introduced by AI. This paper examines how blockchain can safeguard children in schools by focusing on three core areas: data privacy, safe AI-generated content, and academic integrity.

Data Privacy and Blockchain’s Decentralized Advantage

AI systems depend on data. In K–12 settings, that data often includes names, academic records, behavioral patterns, and even biometric information. Centralized databases make attractive targets for cyberattacks, and they rarely offer students or families meaningful control over their own information. Blockchain presents an alternative model, where data is stored across a decentralized network. No single institution holds all the power, and any attempts to alter data are immediately visible and traceable (Attari et al., 2020).

The concept of self-sovereign identity (SSI) is gaining traction as a blockchain-based solution for student privacy. Through decentralized identifiers (DIDs) and cryptographic keys, students and guardians manage access to academic records. They can selectively share information with teachers, administrators, or AI platforms, and revoke that access when it’s no longer needed. This level of control aligns closely with regulations like FERPA and COPPA, which emphasize consent and transparency (ArentFox Schiff LLP, 2023).

Initiatives like GreenLight Credentials and Scribbles Software have already implemented blockchain platforms that allow students to manage and share records securely. These systems make transcripts and diplomas instantly verifiable, reducing the risk of fraud and protecting student data from misuse (Hsu et al., 2021). India’s National Education Policy 2020 supports a similar approach by providing over 8 million students with digital academic wallets that use blockchain to store credentials (Web Asha Technologies, 2025).

Smart contracts further bolster privacy. For example, a student’s reading level could be shared with an AI tutoring service for one semester. Once the semester ends, access is revoked automatically, with the entire exchange logged on-chain. Zero-knowledge proofs enable students to validate eligibility for programs (like scholarships) without disclosing full transcripts, balancing privacy with verification.

Ensuring the Safety of AI-Generated Educational Content

Generative AI tools now create lesson plans, practice quizzes, and even interactive video content. While this opens new possibilities for personalized instruction, it also brings risks. AI can produce biased, inaccurate, or inappropriate materials. Blockchain offers a means to verify the integrity and origin of AI-generated content before it reaches students.

By hashing content and storing its fingerprint on a blockchain, educators can confirm whether a piece of media has been altered. Projects like the Content Authenticity Initiative and Numbers Protocol use similar techniques to verify digital media provenance (Numbers Protocol, 2023). This process ensures that if someone tries to tamper with content—say, by inserting harmful language into a reading passage—the system will detect the discrepancy and alert administrators.

Educational platforms can also use blockchain to maintain content review records. For instance, the EPEC platform stores teacher evaluations of instructional materials on the Polygon blockchain. These records are immutable and encrypted, ensuring that once content is vetted, it cannot be quietly changed or manipulated (Talgar et al., 2024).

In addition, blockchain can verify the training data and safety certifications of AI models themselves. Schools can require that any AI used in classrooms has a transparent development record stored on-chain. UNICEF has backed similar ideas, supporting blockchain projects designed to verify child-safe AI tools (UNICEF, 2022). In this way, blockchain provides a shared infrastructure for trust—not just for content but also for the AI systems generating it.

Maintaining Academic Integrity in a Digital Age

As AI tools grow more powerful, they also make it easier for students to engage in dishonest behavior. Essay generators, automated problem solvers, and even AI tutors can undermine traditional methods of assessment. Blockchain can help uphold academic integrity by providing verifiable records of student work and automating fair testing conditions.

Blockchain-backed credentials are among the most mature educational applications. Schools like MIT and UC Berkeley have issued digital diplomas on blockchain networks, making them nearly impossible to forge (Web Asha Technologies, 2025). At the K–12 level, platforms like Scribbles allow schools to issue verifiable grade reports and transcripts. These records cannot be edited after the fact, ensuring that academic achievements reflect genuine effort.

Blockchain can also help prevent plagiarism. When a student submits an essay or project, its hash is stored on-chain, creating a time-stamped record of authorship. If another student later submits a similar file, the system can flag the duplication immediately. Projects like IEEE’s Ethereum-based plagiarism detection networks propose such decentralized checks (Saroja, 2024).

Smart contracts can enforce testing protocols. Exams can be released at set times, and each student’s actions—from login to submission—can be logged immutably. AI-based proctoring systems can store video feeds or behavioral data on blockchain, ensuring that misconduct is recorded and that logs cannot be altered after the fact. This transparency protects both students and educators in cases of dispute.

Additionally, blockchain supports the use of verifiable micro-credentials. Platforms like VerifyEd allow students to collect badges and certifications for specific skills, such as completing an AI module or demonstrating research literacy. These credentials are stored on-chain and can be verified by future schools or employers, ensuring that students are credited for legitimate achievements (VerifyEd, 2025).

Conclusion

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into K–12 education, it is vital to pair innovation with safeguards. Blockchain technology offers the tools to protect student data, verify the safety of digital content, and ensure academic honesty. Its decentralized, tamper-proof nature empowers students, supports educators, and brings transparency to systems that have long operated in opacity.

Adoption will not be without challenges. Implementing blockchain requires technical infrastructure, teacher training, and clear policy guidance. Moreover, privacy must be carefully managed, as not all records belong on public blockchains. Permissioned chains and cryptographic tools like zero-knowledge proofs can help strike the right balance.

Despite these hurdles, real-world implementations show that blockchain is not just a theoretical solution. From digital transcripts in the U.S. to academic wallets in India, blockchain is already reshaping how student data and credentials are handled. With thoughtful deployment, it can become a cornerstone of safe, ethical, and effective AI-enhanced learning.

References

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Attari, M. A., Al-Samarraie, H., & Hashim, R. (2020). Blockchain security and privacy in education: A systematic mapping. ResearchGate.

Gilda, S., & Mehrotra, D. (2018). Blockchain for education data management: A review and proposed framework. International Journal of Computer Applications, 180(41), 11–18.

Hsu, M., Lee, J., & AWS Public Sector. (2021). Blockchain makes student achievement records safe and simple to share with portable credentials. AWS Blog.

Numbers Protocol. (2023). Content authenticity via blockchain. https://www.numbersprotocol.io

Saroja, S. (2024). A beginner’s guide to plagiarism detection using blockchain. IEEE Potentials Magazine, 43(2), 23–29.

Talgar, B., Osipov, V., & Nikolaev, A. (2024). Blockchain-enhanced integrity verification in educational content assessment platform. arXiv preprint arXiv:2409.19828.

UNICEF. (2022). Call for proposals: Blockchain or AI tools to ensure online safety for children. UNICEF Innovation Fund.

VerifyEd. (2025). Expert guide on blockchain digital credentials. https://www.verifyed.io

Web Asha Technologies. (2025). How is blockchain improving cybersecurity in education?