Explore the following websites:
How to Protect Your Digital Privacy
A 2023 Guide to Digital Security & Cybersecurity | Stay Safe Online
Ask yourself the following questions as you browse these websites: Which of these techniques or technologies is simple to comprehend and use? Which can be used to impart the value of digital privacy to our students? What kinds of activities are you thinking of using? Explain your thinking in the comments below.
The techniques or technologies that are simple to comprehend and use are two step authentication, updating software and devices, and making your smartphone lock quickly. All of these can be used to impart the value of digital privacy to our students. Using two step authentication shows our students that their password is very serious and that their information should be well protected. Updating software and devices allows our students to see that having new security software is critical in order for them to have continued privacy. Ensuring students take advantage of the screen locking option on their smartphone solidifies the fact that their smartphone should not be left accessible to anyone else for a long period of time.
Some activities that I’m thinking of using to teach digital privacy are taking inventory of their digital safety, then providing them with the opportunity to strengthen their digital privacy in the areas that are weak. For example, after teaching them about digital privacy, I would allow them to work in groups to create their own checklist to measure how digitally private their information is. After they create their checklist, then they would use it to take inventory of their digital privacy. After they take inventory of their digital privacy, then I would give them the opportunity to make an action plan of how to to strengthen their digital privacy in the areas that they found were weak.
While browsing websites like “A 2024 Guide to Personal Digital Security & Online Safety” and “Best Credit Protection Services”, I found several techniques and technologies that are both simple to comprehend and valuable for teaching digital privacy to students.
Credit Monitoring & Identity Theft Protection
Services like Experian or Identity Guard monitor your credit and notify you of suspicious activity. While this might seem more advanced, teaching the basics of identity theft can help students understand the importance of keeping personal information private.
To teach students about Identity Theft Protection and Credit monitoring: Introduce the concept of identity theft in an age-appropriate way by explaining how oversharing online (like revealing your birthdate or address) can be risky. Students could participate in an activity where they practice “scrubbing” their social media profiles to make them more private.
When reviewing Best Credit Protection Services such as Aura, Identity Guard, and LifeLock, these services offer comprehensive protection against identity theft and credit fraud, and they can play a key role in teaching students about the importance of safeguarding personal information online. Aura provides all-in-one digital security, including credit monitoring, identity theft protection, and online privacy tools. It offers real-time alerts if your personal or financial data is at risk and also has dark web monitoring. For example, to teach students about credit monitoring: Use Aura as an example when discussing the importance of monitoring personal information and protecting against identity theft. An activity could include reviewing mock alerts to discuss why it’s important to take action when personal data is compromised.
After exploring these two websites on digital privacy techniques. Here are my thoughts:
First, encouraging students to regularly install updates not only boosts their device security but also fosters a proactive mindset about digital safety. Keeping software updated is essential, and students can easily develop the habit of regularly installing updates to enhance their security. Another straightforward yet powerful strategy is creating strong passcodes. By guiding students to choose long, mixed combinations of letters, numbers, and symbols instead of obvious ones, we can significantly strengthen their personal information security.
In my lessons, I plan to incorporate a variety of engaging activities like games, discussions, and projects. Digital citizenship curriculums offer clear guidelines for responsible online behavior, featuring easy-to-understand lessons. I also intend to use interactive tools like Kahoot, Quizizz, and Nearpod to transform digital privacy education into an engaging experience, enabling students to assess their understanding while having fun. Visual aids, such as infographics and short videos, will simplify complex digital privacy concepts and spark meaningful discussions. These resources can serve as effective conversation starters, prompting class discussions that emphasize the importance of digital privacy. Scenario-based learning will be particularly impactful, as it presents real-life situations where students must protect their personal information, encouraging critical thinking and reinforcing the relevance of privacy in their lives. Additionally, classroom discussions on current events, like data theft or social media issues, will help students connect their learning to real-world challenges.
To enrich my practice, I plan to integrate resources from the Common Sense Digital Citizenship Curriculum and ISTE Digital Citizen Standards for Students (1.2), as they provide valuable materials and activities for meaningful classroom discussions. I will also assign projects where students design infographics or videos on digital privacy topics, allowing them to express their understanding in innovative and visually engaging ways.
After reviewing https://www.security.org/digital-safety/, I found that these simple techniques and activities effectively teach students the importance of digital privacy and equip them with practical tools to stay safe online. Simple Techniques/Technologies:
Teaching Digital Privacy:
Suggested Activities:
I love the suggested activities, especially the password challenge and phishing simulation. They make learning both fun and hands-on, which I think is such a great way to help students build essential skills for navigating the digital world safely! What tools do you plan to use for those activities?
After researching websites on digital privacy and security, here are my thoughts:
1. Simple Techniques:
– Strong Passwords & Two-Factor Authentication: These are easy for students to understand and use. Teaching them how to create strong password to protect their online accounts.
2. Activities:
– Password Creation Workshop: Have students create their own strong passwords and test them for strength. (combination of upper/lowercase letters, numbers, symbols, and at least 8-12 characters long)
– Role-Playing Scenarios: Act out scenarios where students decide whether to share personal information with a website or app, discussing the consequences afterward.
These activities not only build awareness but also give students hands-on experience with digital privacy tools.
The role-playing activity is a fantastic idea! It helps students practice speaking while having fun, especially for those who love theater. I think this hands-on approach will make lessons on digital privacy more relatable and memorable!
Because ipads have a permanent space in curriculum, children can begin having conversations regarding the responsibilities that come with using an ipad. one of their responsibilities is making sure no one is able to access their ipad. The best way to do this is to create a password that only they know. This password must be kept a secret from others to make sure only they have access. being able to keep this rule is a way to be a digital citizen. I would set up a game for students in which they all are given a sheet of paper with the name of a secret animal and instructions to keep their animal a secret. at the same time, they have to try to figure out the name of someone else’s animal the prize being, they get a prize for being detective. The idea is to guard their secret animal and realize that there are others trying to get their information. Children can understand that there are people who want to know their passwords and that it is their job to keep them safe. This can lead us into a conversation about outsiders wanting to steal their passwords if they do not keep them safe.
According to A 2023 Guide to Digital Security & Cybersecurity | Stay Safe Online, some ways to protect yourself online include using VPNs, password managers, password generators, doing software updates, and using identity monitoring services. There are many things that can be done to teach students about these preventative measures. I would start talking about digital privacy to my students by using visuals to show them the extent to which people have been victim to internet-enabled crimes in 2021 (2021 Internet Crime Report). I use a lot of graphs in my classes and I think this would be a good topic to explore.
I think that the information shared in the 2023 Guide to Digital Security is straight-forward to explain to older students. In class, I would share some tips for safety on the internet, like a “what to do” vs “what not to do guide.” I would have students make posters of the different tips and then share those tips to the class. Some tips include to not use a phone that is jailbroken, to have phones auto-lock after 30 seconds of inactivity, perform software updates, set up two factor authentication, create long passwords, and to turn on “erase data” in case your phone is ever lost or stolen. Avoid phishing and pop-ups, don’t click on links that seem suspicious, turn off auto-fill, and ignore spam calls.
I would also explicitly review ways to know that a website is safe to use — I could do this in a Nearpod activity where students go through the lesson at their own pace and see real-life scenarios. In order to make sure that a website is safe, some signs you can look for include: padlock symbol next to the URL; HTTPS in the URL instead of HTTP; a privacy policy on the website; and that the website accepts all major payment methods. There are many in-browser tools for web safety that people can learn about (ex: blocking pop-ups, sending “do not track” requests; controlling access to your speaker, microphone, camera, etc.). You can use website checkers (Google Transparency Report, Norton Safe Web Checker, URL Void) to tell you if a website is safe or not. You can also get a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to help encrypt your web traffic and replace your IP address. Finally, using Identity Monitoring Services can inform you if your information has been stolen or found on the dark web. Also, password managers can be used to help remember passwords for multiple sites.
There are multiple ways to protect our digital privacy. The most common one is setting up a strong password. Many apps and websites will make one for you or ask you to create one using multiple characters and something that will not be easy to guess. One of the websites also advises not to jailbreak your phones as this will disable the manufacturer’s security. There is also a tow -passcode authentication which will email or text a passcode. I use this for my school email and can be a little dreadful, especially in dead zones. If my phone doesn’t work how can I retrieve a passcode?
You can also protect your privacy by being aware of the sites you visit. You can always look for the padlock or HTTPS on the URL. Many websites look poorly made and have way too many advertising pop-ups. If you are unsure about a website, check to see how reliable it is. You can go into Google Transparency Report and check for a website you want to visit.
I think it is important to use a strong password and to not repeat passwords. If we use the same password to everything and are hacked people can access a lot more than just one platform. Two-factor authentication if very important and helps keep information safe. I think presenting real-life scenarios is a good way to help children learn.
I think the best digital technique would be a strong password and using a 2-step authentication I could teach students and parents to have a strong password that only they know and their parents. This would be hard for anyone to hack them. With a 2-step authentication, parents will have to verify that it is them using the software. This is a great way to keep your information safe and private. I will teach them to ensure the website is safe and reliable for everyone.
I would like to use real-life scenarios or situations as case studies with my students. For example, we could use case studies from the IC3 report to discuss real-world examples of online scams and breaches. We could have discussions on how implementing simple security measures like 2FA and password managers could help prevent such incidents. Also, I would have students create examples of secure passwords and compare them to the “risky” ones. Just to name a few: P@ssw0rd$ecure24* or B3stP@ssw0rd!2k24 versus password24 or firstlastname24
I think havign students share their personal experiences (if they feel like it) can also be very crucial in learning real-life examples about protecting your privacy.
Drawing on insights from the 2019 article by Thorin Klosowski, as well as more recent resources like the 2023 Guide to Digital Security & Cybersecurity, I’ve identified several key strategies to protect our privacy online, with a focus on their applicability in the classroom:
Simple and Effective Strategies for Students:
Instilling the Value of Digital Privacy:
To foster a deeper understanding of digital privacy, I would engage students in discussions about the value of their personal information. This could include exploring real-world examples of data breaches, discussing the potential consequences of identity theft, and examining how companies monetize user data. By emphasizing the personal stakes involved, students are more likely to internalize the importance of safeguarding their privacy.
Additional Considerations:
While tools like VPNs are valuable, they might be complex for younger students. Instead, focusing on the basics and promoting good digital habits from an early age can have a lasting impact.
By integrating these strategies and discussions into our curriculum, we can empower students to become responsible digital citizens who actively protect their privacy and navigate the online world with confidence.
The first link didn’t work – I got an error that nytimes refused to connect. I was able to review A 2023 Guide to Digital Security & Cybersecurity | Stay Safe Online. It was simple to comprehend as an adult but not student-friendly. It would help to impress upon students the importance and value of digital privacy to our students. One great thing it does is define digital security. It defines it as, “Protecting your computer, mobile devices, tablets, and any other Internet-connected devices from intruders, which could be in the form of hacking, phishing, and more.” Having a clear definition for students helps to ground it and have a normed definitions for all to use. I would make a skit or play or story to help connect it to them. I would also incorporate some sort of role playing as suggested in other parts of this unit.
The tips detailed by the websites I’ve found them to be quite simple but that may be based on my background with technology. I’ve spent years educating adults on the importance of protecting themselves online, and their assets, and how not to fall victim to any digital scams. If taught early on the skills become foundational and further develop with continuous use. The reason many fall victim is due to unfamiliarity and not knowing what to look out for. It’s extremely important to convey the importance of online security to our students. Starting with password security, ensuring they aren’t overused and are secure enough to not be easily deciphered. Analyzing websites and validating their credibility, understanding that devices have security measures preinstalled and once we use the device for other reasons than what it entails, we are subjecting ourselves to a variety of dangers. Understanding that technology just like us humans needs tune-ups and updates to work optimally. System updates are there for our protection and they’re encouraged to do so no matter the inconvenience. The bigger headache comes from falling prey to an online attack and not being able to use your device in its entirety. Checking URLs, and looking out for privacy locks, bad grammar, and all links are great starting points for our students. Links are the easiest way to access your information therefore any emails, texts, anything involving links we are to teach our students to verify through online research to validate. We now live in a digital world therefore the conversations about digital privacy are ongoing and intertwine with our daily lives.
My mind was initially blown reviewing the data on the FBI crime report because of the #1 crime of email compromise. Often times, when our emails are compromised, I wonder if we understand how serious it is and/or can be. From the reception of emails stating that “You Are a Winner” to “The IRS has fined you!”, and yet we open the those emails which can have underlying links that can compromise your identity. While I am not surprised by this fact, it is very concerning to see it data wise. To see that emails can be compromised to the point of it being a serious crime is very disturbing. I’ve always been conscious in where I share my email. After reviewing some of the apps that provide additional levels of security and how one can protect their privacy, I’ve learned that it may be worth paying a fee to protect your identity provided the app has proven to be a worthy investment and your privacy is actually protected.
While it appears that all apps are comprehensible, the app that stood out to me was Incogni. This app stood out to me because of their ability to provide data removal for a subscriber can pay a fee for data requests on to more than 180 data brokers. According to their website they follow up regularly to make sure a subscriber’s information doesn’t pop up where it shouldn’t. I believe Incogni can be used to impart great value in protecting digital privacy to our students if every student had access and/or could afford to pay the fee the app requests or if the company could provide academic institutions with affordable rates. In teaching my students about online privacy protection, this course has provided me with links to websites that are instrumental in helping teachers teach our students about digital citizenship. In utilizing these websites which have comprehensible lessons, there are a variety of engaging activities that an educator can use to engage ALL students in becoming digital citizens.
https://incogni.com/
The website that was easy to comprehend was https://www.security.org/digital-safety/ as it explained the different measures and threats associated with digital privacy and online safety. It is crucial to stay informed and take actions that will prevent identity theft and explore effective techniques to help protect digital privacy.
I can teach my students to come up with strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication whenever possible. The added layers of security will protect information.
The website also mentioned using a virtual private network (VPN) to establish a secure connection between devices and the internet so that data remains encrypted.
I will teach my students to be mindful of the websites and applications they use and to always safeguard their digital privacy. I will create engaging activities and open up the space for discussions to help reinforce the importance of protecting one’s online identity.
The simplest and most effective technology to have students use is a virus and privacy protection program. This past summer our 2-step NYCDOE authentication system failed us and many students and employee data was breached. Since then I enrolled in a credit protection program and made sure my phone data was secure. I have daily updates verifying the security of sites and apps. A tool like this installed on students devices would ve helpful especially while learning to navigate a new tool.
The simplest digital privacy techniques to comprehend is to set up two-factor authentication. This way my phone is secure with my password. Creating long passcodes and it’s not obvious like your birthday. I would teach students to protect their digital privacy by teaching them how to create unique passwords and also teaching them what digital privacy is and how important it is. I would teach them how to check if the website is safe and reliable to use.
Digital privacy is a complex topic. I would begin with the basics by explaining what digital privacy is and why it is important for all of us. Discussions on the importance of using strong and unique passwords. The idea of keeping our personal information private, never share your full name, address, phone number or birthdate with strangers online and on websites. Making sure the website has a padlock symbol next to the URL and using HTTPS in the URL as well. Students should be aware of how to set up a 2-step authentication when signing into our emails. and how to check privacy settings on different social media platforms.
The best digital privacy techniques to follow are creating a stronger and longer password, updating your software and creating a two-authentication for an extra layer of security. As an educator you would want to educate your students to create stronger and longer passwords to help with their digital privacy. As for myself I will consider creating stronger and longer passwords and even changing some passwords I currently have.
The simplest digital privacy techniques to comprehend and use are to install virus protection, perform all software updates, use a password managers to create unique and complex passwords for all of your accounts, and set up two-factor authentication.
For students, I would impart the value of digital privacy by teaching them how to create and keep track of unique and complex passwords for all of their accounts. Currently, almost all of the students in my school have the same password for their Google accounts because when we allow students to create their own passwords, they tend to forget them. This results in students getting hacked and inappropriate content being emailed or posted in Google Classroom from their accounts. I would work with my class to use a password manager or develop strategies as a class to create strong passwords that they are able to remember… I might even start a competition where the students who never forget their passwords and/or don’t get hacked receive a prize at the end of the school year, incentivizing them to remember their passwords and be responsible with their accounts.
In my school too, the entire class as the same password for their Google account because if we let them change it, they will never remember it and then the tech person in my school would have to constantly make a new password for them.
We do this with some of the classes also. Some students are responsible but other try to take advantage.
After testing the site, “Have I been pwned” and finding that both my emails appeared in data breaches, I think I will take the notifications from gmail a bit more seriously. I wonder if the save password feature is safe or not. With that in mind, I now have to sit and take the time to actually change the passwords of several sites associated with that particular email. It was just eye opening. I think my digital footprint was someing I was taking for granted. Ensure my passwords change periodically, ensuring that I am not sharing personal information on these accounts or pictures. Messaging this to students is important, they are sharing plenty of information on a variety of platforms which makes them easy targets.
The way to protect your digital privacy is actually through using more technology. You need to have virus protection installed on devices, use secure browsing sites and try to use sites that are secure -https://. You want to use strong passwords that are not easily guessed to protect yourself from hackers.
It is important to teach the students how to create and protect their passwords. It is a skill that you can teach like using a mix of capital and lowercase letters and numbers. For instance, hello can be changed to H3l10. It will be harder to guess with the mix of characters. You can also provide ways to save passwords securely. All of them should not be written down in one place for anyone to see like a folder or school notebook. Teaching students when they are young how to protect their identity and to be wary of “too good to be true” schemes will only make them better digital citizens.
After exploring the websites, I find that a couple of things that are within our control and reach are creating safe, complex passwords and understanding how websites function through cookies. I think for the older graders, the concept of internet cookies is a good way for students to understand how cookies are an integral part of how our data is shared and what are ways that we, as digital users, can control and utilize these cookies to keep us most safe.
After reviewing these sites I believe that the two-factor authentication and creating a long passcode are two techniques that are simple to comprehend in protecting ones digital footprint and information.
For students, many platforms they engage with allow for automatic sign in with google, so it will be easy for students to ensure that the password they use often to access sites is long and change the setting to allow a two-factor authentication through that one google account, instead of several.
I believe it would be interesting to conduct an activity where students “Rate the password”, to help students understand the difference between a weak and strong password. Also, depending on their rating they would need to change the password and explain why it’s strong and how else can they protect their privacy.
Upon reviewing these sites, it seems like technology is the solution to the problems of technology. I’ve considered password keepers but worry that if they are breached I have more to lose than what I would benefit. I am a big believer in the antivirus software and two factor identification. I do try and use https when browsing and frequently clear cookies.
I think these are difficult ideas/suggestions for elementary aged students to comprehend. They are aware of hacking, malware, etc. I think about our password practices and so many students cannot remember their sign-on and passwords we have to write them down or just have a universal password. This is poor modeling but sadly essential to the ability to utilize technology in class.
We do discuss the importance of logging out completely on our shared computer. We also discuss recognizing when the computer is asking for an update so that we can make sure they have full protection from viruses.
After reviewing these sites, I notice many simple keys to protect privacy and avoid or make it harder for hackers to get your information. I will use techniques to inform students on how they will know if a website they visit is safe. For example, I would advise them to look for HTTPS rather than HTTP. I will also inform them on how to look for a privacy policy. Finally, I would create a lesson and have my students search for these keys while searching the internet.
One of the key steps I would take to ensure that students understand the importance of strong passwords is to provide clear and concise instruction on what constitutes a strong password and why it matters. I would open the lesson by asking students to discuss how they keep their accounts secure. Then they would share with the class.
Through instruction, students will understand that passwords are the first line of defense against unauthorized access to their online accounts and personal information. I would provide examples of passwords and have them vote on which are strong and weak. I’d emphasize that weak passwords that are easy to guess or crack can leave them vulnerable to identity theft, fraud, and other online security threats.
Next, I would teach them the characteristics of a strong password, such as length, complexity, and uniqueness. I would recommend that they use a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols, and avoid using easily guessable information like their name, date of birth, or common dictionary words. I would provide examples of stronger passwords and have them compare them to the ones previously provided.
To reinforce these concepts, I would also demonstrate how to create strong passwords and provide examples of common mistakes to avoid. For instance, I would show them how to use a password manager or generator to create and store strong passwords, or how to use mnemonic devices to create memorable but secure passwords. I would also explain 2-step authentication which is something I just starting to understand (and I find to be annoying at times).
To close the lesson, I would survey the students to assess how often they change their password. Then, stress the importance of regularly changing passwords and using different passwords for different accounts. This can help prevent one compromised password from compromising multiple accounts, which can be a serious security risk. This has been an issue for me in the past. I would use the same password for different types of accounts. For example: sites where I shop may have a password like – $p3ndMyM0ney and restaurant sites may be something like T1m3ForCh0w.
Throughout instruction, I would use real-world examples and scenarios to help students understand the importance of strong passwords and how they can protect themselves online.
The technique that is simple to comprehend and use is password manager and 2-step authentication. Hackers would have a harder time getting access to your account if you used this. Passwords are one of the most annoying aspects of having accounts. I have so many different accounts and they each need a password. It is easy to choose a simple password or use the same password for multiple accounts. This is what hackers are counting on. If you use a password manager that generates complex passwords that would remember it for you, it would make things harder for hackers to hack you. Also, the 2-step authentication puts an added layer of security. You would hope that the hacker doesn’t have access to your 2nd step in the process even if they guess your password.
I believe that if I teach this to students, they will see the necessity of password protection as a simple way of protecting their digital privacy. Students make up creative things all the time and guess things about each other all the time. They would see how easy it would be to guess a password that isn’t long enough or complex enough.
The kind of activity I would think of using is 2 parts. I would first try to have them “be hackers.” I would give them the task of trying to figure out what password someone would choose if they had an account on a particular app. We would make a list and see how close others would guess their password. Then we would be the “computer programmer” and create complex passwords that a hacker wouldn’t guess.
These activities would help students see the value of more complex passwords and hopefully they would use it when creating passwords on their own.
I agree that passwords are the most annoying thing about digital learning. I also love the idea of having students be hackers and computer programmers. This way students can see how easy some passwords can be hacked. This would also give them the opportunity to create strong passwords.
After reviewing the various websites, I did notice there are some easy tips, tools and valuable lessons to give to my students.
I think it is important to teach my students about the identify fraud. They need to understand that there are people who could take their information and use it for their own personal gain. In addition, I think it is important for them know about hackers and how they use phishing to gain access to their personal information which could lead to identify theft. I would introduce these important terms to them just so they are aware of the dangers on the internet.
Furthermore I would provide tips to help my students stay safe. For example, I think my third grade students could be taught how to use trustworthy websites. I could create an infographic or put an anchor chart showing my students how they should look for the padlock next to the URL, the extra s on http, and the privacy policy. My students could could check the website with Google Transparency Return to make sure it is safe. It may be beneficial to show them how they could protect browsing the web by adding an extension like uBlock origin which would block ads and collection of data. I think my students could also be taught how to not provide personal information online. They should also try to create passwords that are not easy to discover and do not provide personal information. If my students were older, I would encourage them to use password manager but I don’t think they are ready for that at this stage. Instead I would show my third graders how they should not save any passwords on the computer because other students are using the computer. They should always make sure they sign out when they finish using the computer this way the next student doesn’t have access to their information. These are tips they can carry on later.
I think it would be really beneficial to have a parent workshop where we go over some more of the sophisticated tools. For instance, how parents can use password managers, two step authentication, and add browser extensions that block ads that collect information. This way the whole school community is being protected when online.