Privacy & Security
Sharing information about yourself can be a natural and healthy activity, and it can lead to positive connections and personal growth. However, it can also present safety risks, and you need to be aware of potentially harmful consequences such as identity theft and financial exploitation.
Stay Alert: Safety first!
Always remember:
Be kind and respectful – this includes public messages as well as private chats. Just because you cannot see or hear someone’s reaction, does not mean you can’t hurt their feelings online.
Keep private information such as your full name, address, and current location to yourself. You cannot guarantee who can or cannot see it. This includes your passwords – you do not want someone pretending to be you.
What to do if you feel unsafe online:
Tell a trusted adult.
Immediately block and report anyone who is making you feel unsafe.
Do not respond in any way
Tips to protect your information
Create Strong Passwords
Use long passwords (at least 12 characters) with a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols (password ex. OrangeCatsRQTies!).
Develop mnemonics (learning techniques to aid information retention) to help you remember your passwords - Use this site to help you develop a mnemonic!
Use a different password for everything.
Avoid basing passwords off personal information.
Use Multifactor Authentication (MFA)
Multi-Factor Authentication is when a system such as an app or website requires multiple authenticators to verify your identity.
It increases security because if one authenticator is compromised, there are others to fall back on that other people will not have access to.
Examples of authenticators:
something you know: a password or PIN
something you have: a card (e.g., debit card) or mobile token (e.g., a single-use access code sent to your phone that expires after a certain length of time)
something you are: fingerprint, facial recognition, etc
Videos to Watch
📺Media Balance is Important
📺My Online Neighborhood
📺Pause & Think Online
📺Internet Traffic Light
📺We the Digital Citizens
📺Private & Personal Information
📺Private & Personal Information
📺Oversharing: Think Before you Post
📺When is the Right Age to Start Social Media?
📺What's in your Digital Footprint?
Teen Voices
📺Who You're Talking to Online
Games & More
Lower Elementary
Grades PreK - 4
Grades PreK - 4
ABCya
Hippo and Hedgehog in Cyber-Five
Elem/Middle
Grades 5 - 8
Grades 5 - 8
Common Sense Media - Social Media Test Drive
Accounts and Passwords
Learn how to create an account on social media and practice how to protect your privacy online by creating a safe username and a strong password.
Scams & Phishing
Understand the consequences of identity theft and learn how to identify and take action against phishing scams on social media.
Social Media Privacy
Understand how social media sites collect information about users and learn strategies for protecting privacy on social media.
Ads on Social Media
Explore how companies collect user data to display targeted ads on social media and learn how to identify ads and sponsored posts within your feed.
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Common Sense Media - Digital Compass
Sticky Situation
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iKeepSafe
📺Detecting Lies and Staying True
2. Manage Your Digital Reputation
📺Playing and Staying Safe Online
3. Identify Tricks and Scams
📺Steering Clear of Cyber Tricks
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Be Internet Awesome - Interland
Tower of Treasure: Secure Your Secrets
Take responsibility for protecting important information 🎮play game
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Media Smarts
Data Defenders
Data Defenders is an interactive game that teaches children and pre-teens the concept of personal information and its economic value, and introduces them to ways to manage and protect their personal information on the websites and apps they enjoy.
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Cyber.org
The Adventures of Pascal and Python
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High School
Grades 9 - 12
Grades 9 - 12