LESSON

Data for Sale

Why is our data valuable to companies?

What is the real price of signing up for a "free" app? Help students understand how personal data can be compiled into valuable profiles that companies use to push targeted advertising and earn money. In this lesson, students weigh privacy concerns against benefits, developing the critical decision-making skills essential for navigating today's data economy. Empower students to make informed choices about when it's worth the convenience to share their digital information—and when it might cost more than they realize.

Objectives

Understand how companies use data to improve services and make money
Evaluate the tradeoffs between using free apps or tools and having to share personal data

Vocabulary

Data · Personalized Ads · Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

Data – any type of information that can be collected, categorized, and analyzed

Personalized Ads – advertisements specifically chosen for you, based on information collected about who you are, what you like, and what you do online

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) – any information that can be used to identify someone, like full names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, or even photos