Computing · Year 4 · The Internet and Collaborative Networks · Autumn Term

Online Safety and Privacy

Learning about personal information, privacy settings, and safe practices for interacting online.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS2: Computing - Online Safety
• KS2: Computing - Digital Literacy

About This Topic

Online safety and privacy equips Year 4 students with skills to navigate the internet securely within collaborative networks. They identify personal information such as names, locations, photos, and addresses, and justify keeping it private to avoid risks like identity theft or unwanted contact. Students evaluate the dangers of sharing photos or videos online, considering audience and permanence, and design practical strategies for handling cyberbullying or inappropriate content, meeting KS2 Computing standards for online safety and digital literacy.

This topic integrates with PSHE education by promoting responsible digital citizenship and critical evaluation of online interactions. Students explore privacy settings on platforms like search engines and games, recognise signs of strangers online, and understand digital footprints. These lessons build confidence in reporting issues to trusted adults and using tools like block functions.

Active learning excels in this area because students practice through role-play and group discussions of real-world scenarios. When they simulate sharing decisions or craft anti-bullying pledges collaboratively, rules shift from abstract guidelines to actionable habits they own and reinforce with peers.

Key Questions

1. Justify why it is important to keep personal information private online.
2. Evaluate the safety of sharing photos or videos online.
3. Design strategies for responding to cyberbullying or inappropriate content.

Learning Objectives

• Identify types of personal information that should be kept private online.
• Explain the potential risks associated with sharing personal information online.
• Evaluate the safety of sharing digital media, considering audience and permanence.
• Design a personal action plan for responding to cyberbullying or encountering inappropriate content online.

Before You Start

Introduction to the Internet

Why: Students need a basic understanding of what the internet is and how it is used to access online content and platforms.

Digital Citizenship Basics

Why: Prior knowledge of being a responsible user of technology, including basic politeness and respect, is helpful before discussing online safety specifics.

Key Vocabulary

Personal Information	Details about yourself that, if shared, could identify you or reveal private facts. This includes your full name, address, school, and phone number.
Privacy Settings	Controls offered by websites and apps that allow you to manage who can see your information, posts, and profile.
Digital Footprint	The trail of data you leave behind when you use the internet, including websites visited, emails sent, and information posted.
Cyberbullying	The use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Sharing personal info with online friends is always safe.

What to Teach Instead

Online friends may not be who they claim, leading to risks like location tracking. Role-playing scenarios helps students experience peer pressure and practice saying no, building judgement through discussion of outcomes.

Common Misconception

Deleted posts disappear forever from the internet.

What to Teach Instead

Copies can linger in screenshots or caches, creating lasting digital footprints. Group sorting activities reveal permanence, while collaborative strategy design reinforces safe habits over quick fixes.

Common Misconception

Privacy settings protect everything automatically.

What to Teach Instead

Users must actively choose settings for each app or post. Hands-on workshops with demos let students explore interfaces, compare results, and discuss why vigilance matters in group shares.

Active Learning Ideas

Role-Play: Sharing Scenarios

Present cards with online scenarios like 'a game friend asks for your photo.' In small groups, students act out safe and risky responses, then debrief as a class on privacy rules. End with each group sharing one key takeaway.

35 min·Small Groups

Sorting Game: Personal Information

Provide cards listing items like 'school name' or 'favourite game.' Students sort them into 'safe to share' and 'keep private' piles individually, then justify choices in pairs and vote on class examples.

25 min·Pairs

Privacy Settings Workshop

Use screenshots of child-friendly apps to guide students in pairs spotting and adjusting privacy options. They record steps in a checklist, test on demo accounts, and present findings to the class.

40 min·Pairs

Strategy Design: Cyberbullying Responses

In small groups, students brainstorm and draw flowcharts for scenarios like mean messages. Include steps like 'block, tell adult, save evidence.' Groups share and refine strategies into a class poster.

30 min·Small Groups

Real-World Connections

• Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram have privacy settings that users can adjust to control who sees their content, similar to how a school might have rules about who can enter a classroom.
• Online gaming communities often have moderators who enforce rules against cyberbullying and inappropriate behavior, much like playground supervisors ensure fair play during recess.
• Companies like Google offer privacy controls for their search engines, allowing users to manage their search history and protect their data, mirroring how libraries keep patron borrowing records confidential.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

Give students a scenario: 'You receive a friend request from someone you don't know on a game. What are two things you should consider before accepting, and what is one action you could take if they are unkind?'

Quick Check

Ask students to list three examples of personal information that should not be shared online. Then, ask them to explain why one of those pieces of information needs to be kept private.

Discussion Prompt

Present a hypothetical situation: 'A classmate posts an embarrassing photo of you online without your permission. What steps could you take to address this situation?' Facilitate a class discussion on reporting, blocking, and seeking help from a trusted adult.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to teach Year 4 students about keeping personal information private online?

Start with relatable examples like not sharing home addresses in games. Use sorting activities to classify info, followed by discussions justifying risks. Reinforce with class rules posters co-created by students, ensuring they internalise reasons through peer validation and real scenarios. This builds lasting habits.

What activities work best for evaluating photo sharing safety?

Role-play cards showing photo requests from 'friends' or strangers. Students vote on safety, explain choices, and adjust privacy demos. Track class decisions on a shared chart to spot patterns, helping them weigh permanence and audience critically over 2-3 lessons.

How can active learning help teach online safety and privacy?

Active methods like role-plays and group strategy design make abstract rules concrete. Students simulate dilemmas, debate responses, and create tools like flowcharts, shifting passive listening to ownership. Peer discussions reveal misconceptions early, while hands-on practice with privacy settings ensures skills transfer to real use, boosting retention and confidence.

Strategies for responding to cyberbullying in Year 4 computing?

Teach a simple flowchart: do not reply, block sender, save evidence, tell adult. Use group brainstorming to customise for apps they use, then role-play. Display class strategies visibly and revisit monthly, linking to PSHE for emotional support and consistent school-wide practice.