In today’s digital age, we share data both consciously and unconsciously through activities such as posting photos on Instagram, connecting to public Wi-Fi, browsing TikTok, or providing addresses for online purchases. While "sharing is caring" is mostly the motto, it is worth asking whether we should take more care in protecting our personal information.
Data is often referred to as the new gold, a valuable commodity sought after by companies and organisations that collect and trade it for profit. From targeted advertising to significant privacy breaches, the impact of (un)conscious data sharing is increasingly apparent. Despite the growing amount of personal data being collected, many of us remain unaware of the footprints we leave behind and how this information is used.
An interactive EDUbox for the classroom
The EDUbox on Data and Privacy aims to bridge this gap. Through this teaching package, secondary school students can explore how data is collected and used, and how to better manage the balance between sharing and privacy. It was developed in collaboration with VRT, DNS Belgium, Knowledge Centre Data & Society, Amai, Digital For Youth, Cyber Security Coalition, imec, Mediawijs, Ik beslis, Gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit, the Flemish Human Rights Institute and Betternet.
EDUbox is an interactive educational concept developed by VRT to engage young people with important societal topics. Previous EDUboxes have covered themes such as social media, artificial intelligence, sustainability and democracy. They are designed to inform, inspire and empower young people to explore these subjects further. Each package includes text, audiovisual content, assignments and interactive tools, making it a valuable and free resource for teachers to achieve educational objectives.
Educating and empowering young people
Everything we do online leaves behind a trail of data. But this data can be misused. The EDUbox on Data and Privacy is an interactive teaching package designed to inform and educate secondary school students about the potential risks of data sharing.
Packed with expert insights, the EDUbox provides fact sheets, video materials, assignments and interactive tools. These resources help young people understand the concept of (online) privacy, how data is collected, the possible risks and how to maintain control over their own data.
What is inside the EDUbox Data and Privacy?
The EDUbox consists of five parts, which you as a teacher can go through with your students over two lessons.
In part 1, students take an online test and watch a video from Iedereen Beroemd to reflect on questions such as: What is (online) privacy? What information do I share, and what do I prefer to keep private? They evaluate their digital footprint and discuss in class how they already protect their data.
In part 2, students learn about different types of data, including direct, indirect, special and biometric data. They explore how data is collected, who has access to it, and what happens to it. Nils de Ridder from the Belgian Data Protection Authority explains why we should think carefully about accepting cookies and highlights the risks of sharing data.
In part 3, students are encouraged to make conscious decisions by stepping into the shoes of KLAAR presenter Anaïs Dockx. They make everyday choices on her behalf, such as whether to drive or use public transport, and discuss the implications for data and privacy.
In part 4, students explore the basics of data protection laws together. What are their rights? What obligations do companies have? Nils de Ridder explains the principles of the GDPR, and students receive practical tips for better safeguarding their privacy.
Want to know more? In Part 5, students are directed to further materials covering topics such as surveillance cameras, shared mobility, public Wi-Fi, beacons and sniffers. These resources are tailored to engage young learners.
Getting started
The EDUbox on Data and Privacy is available as an interactive website or a downloadable PDF from the EDUbox catalogue. Both formats are ideal for independent group work in the classroom. This EDUbox comes with a teacher’s guide, which includes additional information and suggestions for adapting the material to different classroom needs.