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The reliance on technology is continuously increasing in our digitally inclined society, and so is the need for maintaining and respecting our digital privacy. While being careless about safeguarding our digital privacy can invite a lot of trouble for us, it can be even more detrimental for our kids' digital footprint online.
While the topic of digital privacy is a crucial aspect of practicing cyber hygiene, it’s also important to present the concept in a fun and knowledgeable way to help our kids grasp the need for digital privacy in their daily lives.
If you’re a parent, looking for ways to make teaching digital privacy fun through creative activities for your kids, here’s a quick guide for you to do so. But before that, let’s understand the importance of digital privacy.
What Is Digital Privacy?
Digital privacy refers to the practice of protecting your personal information and sensitive data online by understanding the kind of information that’s safe to be shared, and understanding how your data can be used. It also includes understanding the concept of digital footprint or how your shared information can stay on the internet forever, even after you’ve removed it from your end.
Here are some consequences of not protecting your digital space and privacy:
- You could fall prey to financial scams, ransomware, and phishing attempts.
- Your personal information could be misused to bully, or harass you.
- It could also lead to the damage of your reputation, especially if someone assumes your identity to practice fraudulent activities.
5 Ways To Teach Your Kids About Digital Privacy Through Creative Activities
Incorporate Fun Technology Games And Apps
Whether you’re teaching your kids about the use of paid or free antivirus software, differentiating between private and shared information, or helping them understand how their digital privacy could be compromised, using games that deal with these issues on an age-appropriate level can be a fun way to introduce them to various types of cyber threats and cyber security measures to counter them.
Make sure the apps and games are interactive in nature, so that children can understand the decision making process behind ways to keep their digital privacy intact.
Practice Role-Playing Scenarios
Role-playing is a fun way to use practical examples of real life situations where your child’s digital identity and privacy might be compromised. Give them examples of different situations and enact them together to know how your child will and should respond in various conditions.
For example, you could play the role of a cyberbully and let them choose how they want to respond to you. Or, you could also act as a scammer, asking about their personal information such as where they live and what time they leave for school. These examples will not only help them understand digital security and privacy better, but also make them aware of stranger danger and how to avoid such situations.
Try A Role-Reversal Strategy
One of the most creative ways to teach your children about digital privacy is by turning them into the teacher. Once you’ve taught your children about the concepts that are age-appropriate, create a classroom and encourage them to be the teacher. You could ask them to explain three ways to protect our privacy on the internet, or how a free antivirus for Android can protect our device from malware. Encouraging them to be the teacher can help them deeply understand the concept and make learning fun for them.
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Maintain A Digital Diary
Encourage your children to maintain a digital journal where they write down their experience on the internet or social media and jot down how it made them feel. Add tabs for highlights and bad experiences, and give them the opportunity to self-reflect. This will make them more aware of how they can keep their personal information private on the internet. You can also add a section for potential solutions, where both you and your child can add ways to mitigate the risk and brainstorm ideas together. It will not only foster a deeper sense of understanding around digital privacy, but can also be a bonding experience for your children and you.
Encourage Group Projects On Digital Privacy
You could do a fun project with your children, or have them bring their friends over to create a fun little project on topics such as:
* Consequences of oversharing on social media
* Why is digital privacy necessary?
* How to keep your device safe from malware?
Help them to research information about their chosen topic, create a chart or do your own version of a vision board with all the details on the topic. You can also appreciate their work on social media by posting a picture of their project, or encouraging them to share their project with their classmates and ask their teacher to showcase their work in the class.
The importance of maintaining open communication around digital privacy through creative activities is an important aspect of making the topic interesting for your kids. Since digital privacy and safety is essential to your child’s online experience and the kind of relationship they form with the internet, sharing knowledge about these topics from a young age, using age-appropriate methods can help them use these resources responsibly and become a responsible digital citizen.
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