Digital Safety Scenarios Worksheet

In pairs, read each scenario below and identify the privacy risks. For each scenario, answer the questions and write your responses in the spaces provided.

Scenario 1: The Public Profile

Alex sets all of their social media profiles to public so anyone can view their photos, friends list, and posts. They often share their location in real time when hanging out with friends.

1. What personal information is at risk in this scenario?
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Who might be watching or collecting this information?
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Suggest one safe practice Alex could use to protect their privacy.
   
   
   
   
   
   

Scenario 2: The Free App

Maria downloads a free weather app that requests access to her camera, contacts, and phone call logs. She doesn’t read the permissions and taps "Allow" for everything.

1. Which permissions could pose the biggest privacy risk?
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. What could happen if the app misuses these permissions?
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. How can Maria decide which permissions to grant or deny?
   
   
   
   
   
   

Scenario 3: The Unknown Link

During an online game chat, Jamal receives a link from a player he doesn’t know. The message says, “Click for free in-game coins!” He’s not sure if the link is safe.

1. What risks are involved in clicking an unknown link?
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. List two safe steps Jamal could take before clicking.
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Explain why it’s important to verify the source of links.
   
   
   
   
   
   

Scenario 4: The Weak Password

Taylor uses “password123” for all online accounts and never updates it. They log in on a friend’s device but forget to log out.

1. What are the dangers of a weak, reused password?
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. What could happen if someone accesses an account on Taylor’s behalf?
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Describe two strategies for creating and managing strong passwords.
   
   
   
   
   
   

After completing all scenarios, compare your answers with another pair. Discuss which risks you found most surprising and share one tip you’ll use to stay safe online.

Safe Practices Checklist Template

Directions: In your small group, review each scenario and brainstorm three safe digital practices to address the risks. Write your ideas in the spaces provided. Once finished, select your top three practices to share with the class.

Online Privacy Quick Quiz Answer Key

Use this key to check student responses and provide feedback.

Question 1

Prompt: Which account setting helps protect your social media posts from being seen by strangers?
Correct Answer: Friends Only

Explanation:

• Public allows anyone to view your content.
• Friends Only restricts posts to approved connections, keeping strangers out.
• Private and Custom can also limit access, but “Private” may hide your profile entirely and “Custom” requires additional configuration. The quiz answer focuses on the straightforward “Friends Only” setting.

Question 2

Prompt: What should you review before granting permissions to a new app?
Correct Answer: The requested permissions

Explanation:

• The app’s rating, download size, or ad count doesn’t reveal what data the app can access.
• Reviewing requested permissions lets you see if the app needs access to camera, contacts, location, etc., so you can decide what’s appropriate and protect your privacy.

Question 3

Prompt: Why is it risky to click on a link from an unknown sender?
Correct Answer: It could contain malware

Explanation:

• Unknown links can lead to harmful websites that download malware or steal data.
• While some links might be harmless surveys, taking that risk can compromise your device security and personal information.

Question 4

Prompt: Which of the following is the strongest password?
Correct Answer: P@5sW0rd!%

Explanation:

• password123, Summer2023, and JohnDoe are predictable and easy to crack.
• P@5sW0rd!% uses a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters, making it far more secure.

Question 5

Prompt: After using a friend’s device to check your email, what is the safest next step?
Correct Answer: Log out of your account

Explanation:

• Leaving your account signed in lets the next person access it.
• Changing your password is useful if you suspect a breach, but the immediate step is to log out to close your session.
• Deleting browser history can hide your activity, but it doesn’t prevent account access by others.