Learning Resource Type

Classroom Resource

Are Internet Trolls Born or Made?

Subject Area

Digital Literacy and Computer Science

Grade(s)

6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Overview

Trolls are all over the internet, just annoying people to no end. What makes someone an internet troll? Are some people just destined to be a troll, or do they develop this ability? Believe it or not, there have been numerous scientific studies surrounding this behavior. Explore the science behind trolling behavior in the latest Above the Noise video. This video comes with a student handout that helps guide the discussion of this activity.

    Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 6

    DLCS18.6.R1

    Identify, demonstrate, and apply personal safe use of digital devices.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:DLCS18.6.R1

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • that some data is considered personal and should be protected.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    • classify data as private or public.
    • operate technology devices without sharing personal data.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • sharing personal data in public forums, even with share settings turned off, can result in dangerous real
    • life consequences.
    Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 7

    DLCS18.7.R1

    Identify, demonstrate, and apply personal safe use of digital devices.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:DLCS18.7.R1

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • that some data is considered personal and should be protected.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    • classify data as private or public.
    • operate technology devices without sharing personal data.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • sharing personal data in public forums, even with share settings turned off, can result in dangerous real
    • life consequences.
    Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 7

    DLCS18.7.11

    Demonstrate positive, safe, legal, and ethical habits when creating and sharing digital content and identify the consequences of failing to act responsibly.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:DLCS18.7.11

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • safe, legal, and ethical habits to use when creating and sharing digital content and that failing to do so can have negative consequences.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    • use safe, legal, and ethical habits when creating and sharing digital content.
    • identify consequences of failing to use safe, legal, and ethical habits when creating and sharing digital content.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • consequences exist for failing to use positive, safe, legal, and ethical habits when creating and sharing digital content.
    Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 8

    DLCS18.8.R1

    Identify, demonstrate, and apply personal safe use of digital devices.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:DLCS18.8.R1

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • that some data is considered personal and should be protected.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    • classify data as private or public.
    • operate technology devices without sharing personal data.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • sharing personal data in public forums, even with share settings turned off, can result in dangerous real
    • life consequences.
    Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 09-12

    DLCS18.HS.R1

    Identify, demonstrate, and apply personal safe use of digital devices.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:DLCS18.HS.R1

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • how to safely use digital devices.
    • that failure to use digital devices safely can have an impact on access at school as well as the protection of personal data.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    • identify personal safe use of digital devices.
    • demonstrate personal safe use of digital devices.
    • apply personal safe use of digital devices.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • it is important to protect personal data when sharing information on the internet.
    Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 09-12

    DLCS18.HS.11

    Model and demonstrate behaviors that are safe, legal, and ethical while living, learning, and working in an interconnected digital world.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:DLCS18.HS.11

    Vocabulary

    • ethics
    • digital world
    a.
      cookies
    • virus
    • malware
    • packet sniffing
    • spyware
    • phishing
    b.
    • browser history
    c.
    • personal data
    d.
      data mining
    • digital marketing
    • online wallets
    • personal information
    • data accessibility
    • passwords.
    e.
    • cyberbullying
    • harassment
    • sexual communication
    f.
    • online safety

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • safe, legal, and ethical behaviors for online behavior.
    a.
    • tracking methods are often used to improve digital tools and advertising.
    • hazards exist when unknown entities have access to a user's digital habits.
    b.
    • methods to counteract the use of tracking.
    c.
    • that often, end-user licensing agreements (EULA) are often written to protect the entity that created the digital tool, rather than the user of the digital tool.
    • that EULAs and terms of service agreements can grant access to the user's personal data.
    • that personal data can include images, posts, personal information (phone number, address, birth date, access to friends), and browsing data.
    d.
    • often there exists an inverse relationship between online privacy/personal security and convenience.
    e.
    • that inappropriate digital behavior can have physical, legal, and ethical consequences.
    f.
    • that negative digital behaviors can have lasting consequences.
    • that some behaviors are illegal.
    • strategies to lessen the impact of negative digital behaviors and assess when to apply them.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    • interact digitally while exercising safe, legal, and ethical behaviors.
    a.
    • identify tracking methods used to gather data.
    • identify hazards that exist when tracking methods are used.
    b.
    • list techniques to avoid tracking.
    • apply techniques to avoid tracking.
    c.
    • interpret the terms of EULAs and terms of service agreements.
    • make an educated decision to agree to EULAs and terms of service agreements.
    d.
    • weigh the risks of using a digital tool to one's personal security.
    • identify potential risks to using various digital tools.
    • evaluate a digital tool's security.
    e.
    • identify inappropriate digital behaviors.
    • identify consequences of inappropriate digital behaviors.
    f.
    • identify negative digital behaviors.
    • share strategies to to lessen the impact of negative digital behaviors.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • because the Internet can be such a persisting environment, it is vital to interact with safe, legal, and ethical behaviors.
    a.
    • entities use tracking methods to make products more appealing to their users.
    • hazards exists when tracking data can be tied to individual users.
    b.
    • privacy can be violated when tracking is used.
    • techniques exist to mitigate the effects of tracking methods.
    c.
    • nothing is free—you often give up data to use digital resources for no charge.
    • it is important to educate yourself on EULAs and terms of service agreements.
    d.
    • free digital tools can compromise one's privacy and security.
    • it is important to be aware of what one is trading for use of a service.
    e.
    • inappropriate digital behavior can have physical, legal, and ethical consequences.
    • consequences of inappropriate digital behaviors can have life-altering consequences.
    f.
    • digital identity is tied to online digital behavior.
    • negative digital behaviors can have lasting consequences.
    • some digital activity is illegal.
    Link to Resource

    CR Resource Type

    Audio/Video

    Resource Provider

    PBS
    Accessibility

    Accessibility

    Video resources: includes closed captioning or subtitles
    License

    License Type

    Custom
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