Download Student Activity Sheet(s) for printout in PDF Format
Overview
Students explore the concept of privacy in their everyday lives and as it
relates to visiting Web sites.
Objectives
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Explore the concept of privacy in a real-world setting and in cyberspace |
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Explain why companies collect information about visitors on their
Web sites |
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Learn and use online privacy terms |
ISTE® National Technology Standards
Site Preview
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No Internet site is used in this lesson. |
Online Resources
Materials
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Activity sheets (2) |
Introduce
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Tell students, "Our principal has hired a research company to collect
information that will help us make the school better for you. Several
"observers" will watch students and record where each of you goes,
how many times you go there, and how long you stay there, including
to the water fountain, your locker, the bathroom, the cafeteria, and
to visit another student. You will be identified only by a number.
At the end of the day, the research company will put all the data
together and write a report to the principal." |
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Have students think about what you just told them and jot down
any questions or concerns they have or think other students might
have. |
Teach 1
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Ask: What concerns do you
have about this research? Guide students to consider whether
the collection of such data is fair or justified, who else might see
it, whether the number can be linked to their name by the principal,
whether some of the information should remain private, and whether
they will be allowed to review the data collected about them. |
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Point out that these are the same kinds of concerns that parents,
privacy organizations, watchdog groups, and elected officials have
about information collected by Web sites. |
Teach 2
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Distribute the activity sheet for students to read and discuss. |
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Have them relate the concepts about online privacy to the real
world privacy scenario about their school. (Is collecting such information
fair? What are you being offered in return for such information? Is
the exchange worth it to you?) |
Teach 3
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Have students use the terms on the activity sheet to write a paragraph
describing their own definitions of privacy. Allow volunteers to share
their results. |
Close
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Ask: What is an example
of a privacy issue in the real world? In cyberspace? |
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Ask: Why do site owners
want information about their visitors? (They use the information
to decide how to change the site, to decide how much to charge advertisers,
and to customize a site for each visitor to encourage them to buy
more. Without your knowledge, some sites may also share your information
with others in exchange for more information about you or in exchange
for money.) |
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Ask: What is a cookie? Aggregate data? A third party? Anonymity? |
Extend (online)
The following activity can be added for students who completed this lesson
in a previous grade.
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Have students go online to read the privacy policy at one of their
favorite sites. Have them use the glossary on the activity sheet to
interpret what they read, specifically identifying how the site says
information will be collected and how it will be used. Ask students
to react to this in light of their new knowledge about privacy issues/concerns. |
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Privacy - What's the big deal?