Faith Boninger

Faith Boninger is an academic researcher and Co-Director of the Commercialism in Education Research Unit (CERU) at the University of Colorado Boulder. She holds a PhD in Social Psychology from The Ohio State University and specializes in examining the intersection of corporate influence, technology, and education. Her work focuses on schoolhouse commercialism, student privacy, and the ethical implications of educational technology adoption. Key roles include NEPC Publications Manager and leadership in CERU’s annual reports on commercialism trends.

Her research interests span schoolhouse commercialism (e.g., marketing in schools, corporate partnerships), digital technologies (AI ethics, edtech privacy risks), and policy analysis (e.g., legislative responses to data collection). Notable contributions include co-authoring Sold Out: How Marketing in School Threatens Children's Well-Being (2015) and dozens of policy briefs on AI governance, virtual schooling, and surveillance in education.

Boninger’s work frequently highlights systemic issues such as

• Corporate commodification of student data
• Bias in algorithmic decision-making
• Policy failures in protecting youth privacy

Her publications emphasize actionable recommendations for schools, policymakers, and parents to mitigate risks posed by unchecked edtech adoption and commercialization.