Computer Science
Grade 9
20 min
Personal Information: What Should You Keep Private?
Identify different types of personal information and which should be kept private.
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1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Define Personal Identifiable Information (PII) and provide at least 10 examples.
Differentiate between public, private, and sensitive personal information.
Analyze a social media profile or online form to identify potential privacy risks.
Explain how sharing PII contributes to their 'digital footprint'.
Evaluate and adjust the privacy settings of a common application to minimize data exposure.
Create a personal set of rules for safely sharing information online.
Ever posted your birthday online for friends to see? 🎉 Let's find out why sharing that, and other 'harmless' details, might be a bigger deal than you think.
This lesson will teach you what personal information is and why it's crucial to protect it in the digital wor...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Personal Identifiable Information (PII)Any data that can be used on its own or with other information to identify, contact, or locate a single person. It's the data that points directly to you.Your full name combined with your date of birth. While 'John Smith' isn't unique, 'John Smith born on April 5, 2009' is very specific.
Digital FootprintThe trail of data you create while using the Internet. It includes everything from photos you post and comments you make to websites you visit and your search history.A photo you posted on Instagram, a comment on a YouTube video, and a product review you wrote on Amazon all become permanent parts of your digital footprint.
PhishingA type of online scam where attackers impersonate legitimate organiza...
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Core Syntax & Patterns
The PII Checklist Rule
if (data can uniquely identify ME || data can access my ACCOUNTS) then (keep_private);
Before posting or sharing, ask: 'Could someone use this to figure out exactly who I am, where I live, or how to answer my security questions?' If yes, don't share it publicly. This applies to your full name, address, birth date, school name, and pet's name.
The Data Minimization Principle
share(minimum_data_necessary);
When signing up for a new app, game, or website, only provide the information that is absolutely required (often marked with an asterisk *). If a field is optional, like your phone number or full address, leave it blank. The less you share, the safer you are.
The 'Future You' Test
if (would_future_me_be_ok_with(this_...
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Challenging
Based on the tutorial's concepts, which of the following represents the strongest personal rule set for safely sharing information online?
A.Use the Data Minimization Principle for forms, apply the 'Future You' Test to all posts, and use different usernames for different contexts (e.g., gaming vs. school).
B.Set all profiles to 'private', share my full birthday but not my address, and only accept friend requests from people I've met once.
C.Never post any photos of myself, use a fake name on all accounts, and delete my search history every day.
D.Only use social media for 15 minutes a day, disable geotagging, and trust all emails from companies I know.
Challenging
A classmate, Alex, has a public social media profile. The bio says 'Alex Smith, Grade 9, Northwood High, Class of 2027'. Alex frequently posts geotagged photos from a local cafe after school. What is the most critical privacy risk Alex is creating?
A.Alex's school might see the posts and think Alex is not studying.
B.An advertiser could use the information to sell Alex coffee.
C.Alex is creating a predictable pattern of behavior, making it easy for a stranger to know their name, school, and where to find them at a specific time.
D.Alex's friends might get tired of seeing photos from the same cafe.
Challenging
You want to sign up for a forum to discuss a school project. The required fields are username and email. The optional fields are full name, school, city, and a profile picture. To maximize privacy while still being identifiable to your project group, what is the best strategy?
A.Use your full name as your username, your main school email, and fill out all optional fields so your group can find you easily.
B.Use a generic username like 'User123', a temporary email, and leave everything blank.
C.Create a unique but non-identifiable username (e.g., 'CS_Project_Lion'), use a secondary email not tied to other accounts, and coordinate with your group privately to identify each other.
D.Use your real name and school, but use a fake city and a cartoon avatar as your profile picture.
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