; and (6) support access to and correction of covered information through an educational agency, institution, or program. (c) Authorized uses (1) Uses of covered information An operator may use or disclose covered information of a student under the following circumstances: (A) If other provisions of Federal or State law require the operator to disclose the information, and the operator complies with the requirements of Federal and State law in protecting and disclosing that information. (B) For legitimate research purposes, as required by Federal or State law and subject to the restrictions under applicable Federal and State law or as allowed by Federal or State law and under the direction of an educational agency, institution, or program (including a State educational agency), if covered information is not used for advertising or to amass a profile on the student for purposes other than preK–12 purposes. (C) To an educational agency, institution, or program for preK–12 purposes, as permitted by Federal or State law. (d) Effect on mergers and acquisitions The prohibitions of this section on sale and disclosure of covered information do not apply to the merger of an operator with another entity or the acquisition of the operator by another entity (including any subsequent merger or acquisition), provided that the operator or successor entity continues to be subject to the provisions of this section with respect to covered information acquired before the merger or acquisition. (e) Continued application This section shall continue to apply, after a student is no longer enrolled in an educational agency, institution, or program, to covered information relating to the student that was collected or generated while the student was enrolled. 4. Rules of construction (a) In general This Act shall not— (1) be construed to affect or otherwise alter the protections and guarantees set forth in section 444 of the General Education Provisions Act ( 20 U.S.C. 1232g ) (commonly known as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy