Parent Communication: Data Privacy Lesson

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I am writing to inform you about an important digital citizenship lesson your child will be participating in as part of our AI education curriculum. This lesson focuses on data privacy, online safety, and how artificial intelligence systems collect and use personal information.

In today's digital world, our children interact with AI-powered technology daily—from social media and gaming platforms to educational apps and search engines. While these technologies offer tremendous benefits, they also collect significant amounts of personal data. This lesson aims to empower students with the knowledge and skills to protect their privacy and make informed decisions about their digital footprint.

Lesson Activities

During the 60-minute lesson, students will:

• Participate in interactive discussions about data collection and AI systems
• Complete a personal privacy audit of their digital accounts (using their own devices if appropriate and with school-approved access)
• Work in small groups to analyze real-world privacy scenarios and propose solutions
• Learn about privacy laws and their digital rights as young people
• Develop a Personal Privacy Protection Action Plan with specific steps they can take

Important Note: Students will not be required to share specific personal account information with the class. The privacy audit is for their own awareness and reflection. All activities are designed with age-appropriate content and sensitivity to privacy concerns.

How You Can Support at Home

This lesson is designed to spark important conversations about digital safety that should continue at home. Your involvement is crucial in helping your child develop healthy, safe digital habits. Here are some ways you can support their learning:

• Review Privacy Settings Together: Sit down with your child and review the privacy settings on their social media accounts, gaming platforms, and devices. The lesson includes step-by-step guides for major platforms.
• Discuss Family Privacy Policies: Create or revisit your family's rules about what information can be shared online, location sharing, and appropriate social media use.
• Model Good Privacy Practices: Children learn by example. Be mindful of your own privacy practices and discuss your decision-making process when you choose to share or protect information online.
• Stay Informed: Technology and privacy concerns evolve rapidly. Make privacy discussions an ongoing conversation, not a one-time event.
• Respect Privacy While Maintaining Safety: Balance your child's growing need for privacy with appropriate monitoring for their age and maturity level.

Additional Resources

To support your family's digital citizenship journey, we're providing several resources along with this letter:

• Privacy Settings Step-by-Step Guides: Detailed instructions for adjusting privacy settings on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Discord, Google, and smartphones
• Data Collection Visualization Chart: A visual reference showing how AI systems collect different types of data
• Additional Resources List: Recommended websites, articles, and tools for ongoing privacy education

These materials are available through your child's teacher or can be downloaded from our lesson repository.

Our Commitment to Student Privacy

Please be assured that this lesson is conducted with the utmost respect for student privacy. We comply with all applicable privacy laws including FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) and COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act). No student data is collected beyond standard classroom assessment materials, and students are not required to disclose sensitive personal information.

If your child uses school-provided technology to complete the privacy audit activity, they will do so under appropriate supervision and using approved platforms. Students using personal devices will be instructed to work in privacy mode when appropriate.

When to Reach Out

While this lesson is designed to be empowering rather than frightening, some students may discover privacy concerns during their audit or feel anxious about the amount of data collection that occurs. Please reach out to me if:

• Your child expresses significant worry or anxiety about privacy issues
• You discover concerning privacy settings or contacts on your child's accounts
• Your child has questions we weren't able to fully address in class
• You would like additional support in implementing family privacy policies
• You have concerns about any aspect of the lesson or your child's participation

I am committed to supporting both you and your child in navigating the complex digital landscape. Privacy and online safety are ongoing conversations, and I welcome your partnership in this important work.