Under our remit as the UK’s independent authority for upholding information rights in the public interest, at the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) we have created a series of lesson plans and resources to give teachers the opportunity to inform students of the importance of personal information, privacy, and safety online.
Children start using computers from a very early age, and spend more and more time online as they grow up. While the internet can provide endless possibilities for communication and learning, it can also present many dangers. 11th February 2014 is Safer Internet Day, which means there is currently a spotlight on Internet safety and therefore we believe this is an opportune time to highlight these issues.
To support the lesson plans, an infographic has been created that details how different age groups use the internet, as well as highlighting some of the risks. This infographic provides an excellent introduction to the issues around internet safety and the protection of personal information for young people. It is shown below, and can be downloaded here.
We hope to encourage schools to include our teaching resources as part of their curriculums to engage students with these issues, and we have created specific plans for both primary and secondary education levels. The plans include interactive and enjoyable activities to give students a chance to discuss and share their own views on issues of personal information and online safety, as well as allow the teacher to adapt and appropriate the resources to suit their own requirements.
You can find our teaching resources on the ICO website, along with a wealth of supportive background information for teachers, and a dedicated young person’s area.
Protecting Childrens Personal Information Online by ICO Schools
