Privacy Basics: Passwords, Tracking, and Data Retention | Privacy


Spectrogram for Understansing Privacy

Made by Stacy Martin, Laura Hilliger, Dumitru Gherman, and Emma Irwin

Participate in this spectrogram activity to develop and discuss your own viewpoints on Internet privacy, learning about privacy.

15 minutes

  • Introduction

    What do you already know about online privacy and security? How do you think governments and businesses should handle the information they collect about you? How should we treat kids' information differently than adults? Explore and develop your thinking about online privacy and security with this spectrogram.

  • 15
    min

    Run the spectrogram

    Pick any three to five statements from this example to use as prompts for your spectrogram:

    • Only adults are concerned with online safety.
    • Activity online is mostly negative to my future.
    • Parental controls remove most risk for youth online.
    • Kids shouldn't have access to social media until they are at least 16 years of age and are aware of risks.
    • Kids should be allowed to access the web at school.
    • Implementing digital and web literacy practices into our daily routines can help keep everyone safer.

    Feel free to compose your own statements, as well, to suit your audience and its understandings of privacy.

    Next, place Post-Its with the numbers one to ten written on them in a line on the floor or wall. Leave enough space for people to separate along the line.

    Then explain the activity to the participants: You will read a statement, and if they completely agree with that statement, they should stand near the number 10. If they completely disagree, they should stand near the number 1. Those whom somewhat agree would stand at number 5.

    Tell the participants that they can change their minds based on what other participants say and move during your discussion of each prompt.

    Read the first statement and invite participants to move to the parts of the room that match their responses.

    Once participants have divided themselves along the line, ask someone why they are standing where they are standing. Use the activity to begin a discussion and debate on the essential themes of the day.