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June 18, 2018

Canada’s privacy guardians launch lesson plans to help youth learn about privacy

Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial privacy guardians are launching three new lesson plans to help educate youth about privacy.

The heads of all federal, provincial and territorial privacy protection authorities, including the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, recently called for privacy education to become a greater priority by including it as a clear and concrete component in digital literacy curricula across the country.

The lesson plans – developed by MediaSmarts, a not-for-profit organization that promotes digital and media literacy – are designed to help educators teach their students about their privacy rights, and to navigate the complex digital environment safely and responsibly.

Each lesson will help young Canadians become savvy digital citizens who are able to enjoy the benefits of being online:

• Getting the Toothpaste Back into the Tube: A Lesson on Online Information (grades 6 to 8)
• Know the Deal: The Value of Privacy (grades 6 to 8)
• Privacy Rights of Children and Teens (grades 9 to 12)

In 2016, participants at the 38^th International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners adopted the Resolution for the Adoption of an International Competency Framework on Privacy Education. The resolution encourages governments, and especially authorities responsible for education and other stakeholders interested in the education sector, to champion the inclusion of privacy education in schools and to advocate for and develop training opportunities for educators in this area. Canadian privacy oversight offices attending the conference signed on to the resolution.

The framework adopted at the conference, the Personal Data Protection Competency Framework for School Students, serves as a roadmap for teachers around the world, outlining nine foundational privacy principles students ought to know and understand.