Lesson: Oops! I Broadcast It on the Internet (6-8)

Introduce

EXPLAIN to students that:

• Though there are many benefits to sharing information online, the Internet should generally be considered public because: (1) “private” information can become public if passed on, and (2) posts in many online communities are public by default.
• Most information posted online: (1) can be searched, (2) can be seen by HUGE, invisible audiences, (3) can be copied, altered, and sent to others, and (4) is persistent – it’s almost impossible to take down, as it can start to spread the minute it is posted.
• Information that people post can get out of their control fast, so it is important to consider the consequences beforehand.

REVIEW the Key Vocabulary with students.

Teach 1: Benefits of Sharing

POINT OUT to students that there are many ways sharing information with others online can be fun and rewarding, e.g., that chatting over IM with friends or sending photos to grandparents can be two positive ways of sharing information.

ASK: How do you share information for fun with others online? Sample responses:

• Make online photo albums for friends
• Make mash-ups or remixes and share them online
• IM with friends who have moved away from school

SHOW one or two brief examples of websites where students share their work with others. Have students give names and short descriptions of websites where they know kids share their work. If you have Internet access, bring up one or two of the websites that they list.

Teach 2: Risks of Over-sharing

SHOW the Privacy Student Video Vignette (Eva’s Story for 6th, Brittney’s Story for 7-8).

TELL students that the video is about a real girl who shared something online that she later regretted.

GROUP students in fours or fives and hand out copies of the Oops! I Broadcast It on the Internet Student Discussion Guide to each student. Discuss the Video Discussion Questions with students as a whole group. Refer to the Privacy Student Discussion Guide – Teacher Version (6th or 7-8) for guidance about leading the discussion.

If there is time, have students read and role-play Case Study 1 and/or Case Study 2 of the Oops! I Broadcast It on the Internet Student Discussion Guide.

Wrap Up & Assess

Help students APPLY what they learned in the video (Eva or Brittney) to their understanding of the way information that seems private can get out of one’s control and can lead to serious consequences. First have students write their takeaways from the lesson, and then collect these responses to assess their understanding of the lesson objectives.

Next, DISCUSS with students their ideas about some benefits of sharing information and some of the risks of over-sharing.

You can use the following ideas to lead the discussion:

• Sharing information with others online can be fun and rewarding. People showcase their work and ask others for feedback online.
• But sharing online can sometimes go too far. For example, sharing information such as one’s address can put one’s safety at risk, as well as sharing information that can come back to embarrass. Given the public nature of the Internet, the impact of information online is usually greater than offline.
• The consequences of over-sharing (i.e., inappropriate sharing) can range from being just a little embarrassing to being really devastating to one’s reputation. Students can be denied entrance to college, lose jobs, or have their reputations tarnished.
• It is important to think before posting information online and to put only information there that you are proud of. Ultimately, one wants to be able to shape his or her digital footprint as much as possible

ASK: What things can you do to minimize over-sharing (i.e., inappropriate sharing) in your own life? Sample responses:

• Not share secrets, embarrassing stories, or damaging information about self or others
• Set privacy controls

Extension Activity

EXTENSION ACTIVITY
In groups, have students use flip cameras, cell phones, laptops, or other types of video recorders to make their own one-and-a-half minute videos modeled after the stories of Eva and Brittney. The stories should be about something that was supposed to remain private but became public online. The story can be about themselves, their friends, or someone else they have heard of. If video cameras are not available, students can use still images, audio, or a keyboard alone to create their stories on Voicethread: http://voicethread.com.