Most kids and parents would never dream of leaving their front doors wide open so that anybody could walk right into their homes. And yet, many unwittingly do just that. Strangers, advertisers, predators, unkind classmates, and bullies slip directly into homes, bedrooms, backpacks, and pockets, browsing through photo albums, diaries, activity schedules, and other personal details about kids’ lives. Sometimes they leave something behind – perhaps a taunt or threat – and sometimes they take something with them when they leave – a photo or information that can be used to hurt the kid. Generally, parents and kids are well-informed about being safe in the physical world, but unfortunately, they are not always as cautious in the online world.

When teaching Internet safety to my students, I talk about the concept of computers, phones, and other connected devices as doors directly into the room they’re in. This always leads to a lively discussion, but I’ve never had a clear way to SHOW as well as tell them about this idea. Similarly, I have shared this idea with parents through newsletters and presentations, but always wished there was a way to illustrate it more dramatically. Now I can, and so can you!

Below is a must-view video that perfectly illustrates this concept. It starts with a girl posting a large sign with her picture and personal details outside her house and then leaving the front door wide open when she goes back inside. A variety of people walk by and look at the picture. A group of girls belittle it and take a picture – obviously they are collecting information with which to bully. Later you see them laughing and passing the picture to other kids. A man stops to look at the picture, pulls out a notebook, and writes down her contact information. Then he walks into her house! He looks around, examining the photos her photos hanging on the walls. He opens the door to her bedroom and slips in, but only we, the viewers, know he is there; she is oblivious to his presence. He looks at more pictures (and pockets a few), leafs through her diary, and gathers information about her school and activities. When he starts talking to her he speaks aloud while looking at her and stands only a few feet away. Sher responds to him, but still doesn’t know he is there. Yikes! So powerful – and so creepy!

Interspersed with scenes of this story are interviews with upper elementary aged kids about the safety rules they follow in the physical world and how that relates to safety in the online world. The video concludes with the girl  talking about how she now uses privacy controls so that she can go online safely.

The video is British, so you may want to explain some vocabulary (mates=friends, after tea=afternoon, etc.) and give some warning about the accents (they’re totally understandable, but the novelty of it for American kids might distract them from the message until they get used to it.) You might also want to explain how the predator identifies the girl’s school by seeing a picture of her in her uniform, and how, even though most students in the U.S. don’t have school uniforms, they may have team uniforms or jackets that identify their affiliations.

I couldn’t have asked for a better way to visually illustrate the concept that personal information that kids (and adults) share online can potentially be used to hurt them, and the importance of privacy controls and adult supervision. The video sends a clear message and is extremely powerful. I think it will be even more striking for parents than it is for kids! It runs about 8 minutes and is appropriate for grades 3 and up. I will be using it with fourth and fifth grade classes (and with parents!)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_o8auwnJtqE]

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