Canadian kids are communicating online more than ever before, and are using tools like Skype sometimes even before they learn to walk. Many of us are astonished at how easily they adapt to new devices that connect to the Internet and at how these devices can quickly become part of their lives, as they use them to chat, surf, post, play and learn.
Many kids, however, don’t fully understand the impact that some online activities have on their privacy. They don’t understand the digital footprint they are leaving behind.
For this reason, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada has added a new component to its Protecting Your Online Rep presentation series. Today, we are launching Understanding Your Online Footprint: How to protect your personal information on the Internet, a presentation for young people in grades 4 to 6. The package includes slides, speaking notes and discussion topics for educators, community leaders and parents to speak with young people about online privacy.
The new presentation is packed with practical advice and features graphics and speaking notes that are tailored to the social realities and online activities of kids in grades 4 to 6. The goal of this tool is to help demonstrate how kids in this age group can use the Internet and have fun, without giving away too much of their personal information.
If you haven’t already checked them out, make sure to look at the presentation package for students in grades 7 and 8 (Secondary I to II in Quebec) and the presentation package for students in grades 9 to 12 (Secondary III to V in Quebec).
And if you have any questions or comments about our latest presentation, please let us know in the comments section below. Your feedback helps us improve the resources we develop.