Practical manuals on Internet Privacy for young people
Talking about online privacy with teenagers can sound like an impossible mission. Between phones, chats, social networks and downloads, everything seems to move too fast to stop and think. But the truth is that the younger you start talking about personal data, the better. And that’s what the initiative presented by the Catalan Data Protection Authority (APDCAT) together with the Commission on Freedoms and Information Technology (CLI) and the Department of Education of the Generalitat is about: three practical manuals designed for kids aged 9 to 17.
Three guides adapted to each age group
What’s interesting is that this isn’t a single document full of technical jargon, but three different manuals adapted to each stage:
From 9 to 11 years old, for primary school.
From 12 to 14 years old, aimed at lower secondary education.
From 15 to 17 years old, aimed at upper secondary education and vocational training.
Each of them breaks down concepts like privacy, responsible Internet use or data protection in a way that fits what each group experiences. Because it’s not the same to explain what “posting sensitive information in a forum” means to a 10-year-old as it is to a 16-year-old who already moves confidently through social networks.
Why are these manuals needed?
The studies that accompany the project give clear clues: teenagers use the Internet mainly to chat, listen to music and browse. They prefer computers and mobile phones over other devices, and they spend hours in front of the screen. The problem isn’t just the time, but what they share. Many acknowledge that they have given out personal data on social networks or forums without stopping to think about the consequences. And, watch out, some even say they’ve received strange proposals from strangers online.
The message from the APDCAT and the Department of Education is simple: privacy isn’t a luxury; it’s a habit that should be learned as soon as possible.
A privacy culture starting at school
The manuals don’t stop at theory. They include practical recommendations to avoid unpleasant situations: from how to choose which photos to upload, to how to react if someone asks for personal information. They also aim to help kids learn to distinguish between what is public and what is private online, something many adults aren’t that clear about either.
The key, as explained at the presentation, is that a culture of privacy should be incorporated into everyday education, just like road safety or values education. Because, let’s be honest, the Internet is no longer an add-on; it’s part of young people’s daily lives.