Materials and Preparation

• Copy the Protect Yourself Student Handout, one for each student.

• Copy the All About Me Student Handout, one for each student.

• Preview the websites Neopets (www.neopets.com), Nickelodeon (www.nick.com), and BookAdventure (www.bookadventure.org) and be prepared to show them to the class.

• Chalkboard or white board

Essential Question

How can you protect yourself from online identity theft?

Lesson Overview

As students visit sites that request information about their identities, they learn to adopt a critical inquiry process that empowers them to protect themselves and their families from identity theft. In this lesson, students learn to think critically about the user information that some websites request or require. They learn the difference between private information and personal information, distinguishing what is safe and unsafe to share online.

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to ...

• learn about the benefits of sharing information online, but also about the safety and security risks of sharing certain types of information.

• understand what type of information can put them at risk for identity theft and other scams.

• distinguish between personal information, which is safe to share online, and private information, which is unsafe to share.

Key Vocabulary

register (online): to enter your information in order to sign up and get access to a website

personal information: information that can’t be used to identify you, such as your age, gender, how many siblings you have, your favorite food, etc.

private information: information that can be used to identify you, such as your Social Security number, street address, email, phone number, etc.

identity theft: when a thief steals someone’s private information in order to pretend to be that person

Warm-up (5 minutes)

ASK: What types of information do you think are okay to share publicly online, on a profile that others will see, for instance?

INVITE students to share the names of websites they visit that require or request user information before allowing people to participate in online activities.

ASK: What are some examples of websites where you must register in order to participate?

WRITE the names of the websites on the board. Explain that it’s important to know that sharing some kinds of user information can put you and your family’s privacy at risk.

Log In (15 minutes)

PROJECT for the class, or have students go online to, www.neopets.com, www.nick.com, www.bookadventure.org, or one of the websites that your students suggested.

Note: As an offline alternative, print out and copy two of the website pages that ask for registration and log-in information. Distribute copies of the pages to each student.

DISCUSS with students the kinds of information that each website requires or requests before users can participate.

ASK: What information is required and why do you think it is required?

What information is optional, and why do you think it is optional?

Why do you think websites ask for this kind of information?

POINT OUT that you do not have to fill out fields on websites if they are not required. Required fields are usually marked by an asterisk (*) or are highlighted in red.

Private and Personal (10 minutes)

EXPLAIN to students that some kinds of information are generally safe to share on the Internet and some are not. However, the information that’s considered safe should not be shared one-on-one with people they don’t already know offline.

DEFINE the Key Vocabulary terms personal information and private information. Emphasize that personal information is usually safe to share online. Private information is usually unsafe to share online (students should get permission from a parent or guardian).

SHARE the following examples of information that is safe or unsafe to share:

SAFE – Personal Information

• Your favorite food

• Your opinion (though it should be done respectfully)

• First name

UNSAFE – Private Information

Mother’s maiden name

• Social Security number

• Your date of birth

• Parents’ credit card information

• Phone number

ASK: Why would someone want to steal someone else’s identity on the Internet?

DEFINE Key Vocabulary term identity theft.

EXPLAIN that an identity thief uses private information to pretend to be the person whose identity he or she has stolen. Once the thief has taken someone’s identity, he or she can use that person’s name to get a driver’s license or buy things, even if the person whose identity they stole isn’t old enough to do these things! It’s often not until much later that people realize their identity has been stolen. Identity thieves may also apply for credit cards in other people’s names and run up big bills that they don’t pay off. Let students know that identity thieves often target children and teens because they have a clean credit history and their parents are unlikely to be aware that someone is taking on their child’s identity.

EMPHASIZE the difference between private information (which can be used to steal your identity) and personal information (which cannot be used to steal your identity). Invite students to answer the following questions (write their answers on the board):

ASK: What kinds of private information could an identity thief use to find out and steal your identity?

What kinds of personal information could you share about yourself without showing your identity?

EXPLAIN to students that on the Internet, people you interact with could be your friends next door or strangers who live on the other side of the world. Because it’s hard to know the intentions of people who you’ve never met before, it is best to remain cautious when sharing your information. You wouldn’t give strangers your private information in the real world, and you need to be just as careful when you’re online.

REMIND students how important it is each time they share information online to stop and think: “Am I giving out information that I should keep private?” Point out that it can sometimes be safe to give out some private information. For example, a website might ask for your birth date or email address. But students should always ask their parent or guardian before giving out private information.

DISTRIBUTE the Protect Yourself Student Handout and have students complete the activity. Review the correct answers (listed below):

• Personal Information: Your age, gender, how many brothers and sisters you have, your favorite band, your favorite food, the name of your pet.

• Private Information: Full name, street address, email address, your date of birth, phone numbers, credit card information, mother’s maiden name, name of school.

What’s Safe to Share Online? (10 minutes)

DISTRIBUTE the All About Me Student Handout. Have students write down all the personal information they would like to share on a public profile in an online community. Emphasize that even though personal information is safe to share online, it is okay to choose not to share it. Remind students that everything on the list should be safe to share; none of it should be private information that can put their identity at risk.

ENCOURAGE students to share their lists with the class.

ASK: Is there anything on the lists that could be used by an identity thief? Why?

Wrap-up (5 minutes)

You can use these questions to assess your students’ understanding of the lesson objectives. You may want to ask students to reflect in writing on one of the questions, using a journal or an online blog/wiki. ASK: What is identity theft?

How does personal information and private information differ?

What would be a good rule for kids about giving out private information online?