Be cynical and think first!

Leanne would have been exhausted by the end of the day after speaking to three groups; Years 7 & 8, Years 9 & 10 and then Years 11-13. She explained how their digital profile forms for digital marketing, explored whether your phones are listening to you, discussed the effect of harmful digital behaviours and encouraged them to think when using their devices as the internet is not going away. It was important for them to see the good on the internet as well as the negatives as there are many ways in which the digital world eases our lives. She, like Pauline in the evening with our parents, emphasised that what we do online should always reflect the values in which we live in the real world as well. 

Some of what our Year 9 students learned (in their words):

"I became more aware of what and how social media apps use our data"

"I learned that nothing is ever really deleted and somewhere on the internet, someone has it."

"How they know what you like and send you the ads that relate to what you like"

This is an insight from one of our Year 12 students, Sarah Al-Balushi

The talk was very thought-provoking, as it challenged the way we are used to thinking about the digital world by pointing out that while we use it, it uses us. The presentation was unlike most other internet safety talks, as it did not ridicule the use of platforms such as social media, but rather promoted the digital world's usefulness provided we understand how it works and the motives behind it.