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Grade 8

Being Aware of What You Share

How can you protect your privacy when you're online?
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Lesson Slides

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Kids share a lot of information whenever they go online -- sometimes on purpose, sometimes not. But do they understand that online privacy isn't just what they say and post? Help your students learn about their digital footprints and the steps they can take to shape what others find and see about them.

Students will be able to:
  • Reflect on the concept of privacy, including what they feel comfortable sharing and with which people.
  • Analyze different ways that advertisers collect information about users to send them targeted ads.
  • Identify strategies for protecting their privacy, including opting out of specific features and analyzing app or website privacy policies.
Key Vocabulary: cookies  ·  opt out  ·  privacy  ·  privacy policy  ·  privacy settings  ·  terms of service
cookies:
small text files stored on a computer that keep track of what a person does on a website
opt out:
to choose to not participate in something
privacy:
protection from being observed or tracked by others, including the government, the public, or selected individuals or groups
privacy policy:
a legal document that an app or website must provide which describes what user information they collect and how they use it
privacy settings:
choices a website or app provides users about what information is collected and visible to others
terms of service:
a legal document that an app or website must provide which describes the rules that the company and users must obey when they use the app
Privacy & Security
This lesson meets standards for Common Core ELA, CASEL, AASL, and ISTE. See standards

Lesson Plan

50 mins.
Extension Activity:

Provide students with a link to a privacy policy, such as those for Snapchat or Fortnite, and have them complete a Scavenger Hunt to find specific information such as:

  • what data the app or website collects
  • what data is collected from third parties
  • what data is shared with third parties
  • how long user data is stored
Extension Activity:

Have students apply what they have learned by completing the "Social Media Privacy" Activity on TestDrive, a social media simulator. Students go through a self-guided activity to reinforce key concepts and practice managing privacy settings online. For more information, download the Social Media TestDrive Educator Guide.

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What You'll Need

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Classroom resources

  • Lesson Slides
  • Student Handout: Ad Detective Student Version Teacher Version
  • Lesson Quiz

Take-home resources

© Common Sense Media. Lessons are shareable with attribution for noncommercial use only. No remixing permitted. View detailed license information at creativecommons.org.
Lesson last updated: July 2020
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