CyberShield Kids • Module 1 • Lesson 1.1

Personal Information

In this lesson, students learn what personal information means, why websites and apps may ask for information, and why it is important to pause before sharing details online.

What You Will Learn

By the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

Explain what personal information means.
Give examples of personal information.
Understand that some information should not be shared online.
Pause and ask a trusted adult before sharing details.

Safety Reminder

Never use real private information in practice.

This lesson should use safe, fake examples only. Students should not type real home addresses, phone numbers, passwords, school names, or family details into CyberShield activities.

Simple Explanation

What is personal information?

Personal information is information about you. Some personal information may seem simple, like a favorite sport or favorite color. Other information is more sensitive, like where you live, what school you attend, your phone number, or your password. Online, students should be careful because websites, games, apps, popups, and strangers may ask for information they do not really need.

Safer example

A student says they like soccer, drawing, or science without sharing their full name, address, school, or password.

Unsafe example

A student types their full name, home address, school name, and phone number into a random game popup.

Key Vocabulary

Words to know

Personal information

Details about a person, such as their name, age, school, hobbies, or favorite things.

Private information

Information that should be protected, such as home address, phone number, passwords, or family details.

Trusted adult

A parent, teacher, counselor, guardian, or school technology staff member who can help students make safe choices.

Online form

A place on a website or app that asks someone to type information.

Think About It

Why might a website ask for information?

Some websites need information for safe reasons, like a teacher helping students sign into a school tool. But other websites, games, popups, or strangers may ask for information they should not have.

Discussion Question

What should you do if a website asks for information and you are not sure if it is safe?

What To Do In Real Life

Use the pause-check-ask habit.

Pause before typing information into a website, game, app, form, or chat.
Ask: Does this website really need this information?
Do not share your address, phone number, password, school name, or family details without trusted adult help.
Tell a trusted adult if a website, game, or person asks for information that feels strange.

Mini Practice

Choose the safer answer

These questions use safe examples only. Students should answer by thinking about whether information is okay to share or should stay protected.

Practice 1

A game asks for your favorite color. Is that usually personal information or private information?

Safer answer

It is usually personal information, but students should still be careful and ask for help if the game also asks for private details.

Practice 2

A popup asks for your home address to win a prize. What should you do?

Safer answer

Do not type the address. Pause, close or step away from the popup, and ask a trusted adult for help.

Practice 3

A class website asks for your first name during a teacher-led activity. What should you do?

Safer answer

Follow the teacher's instructions. If unsure, ask the teacher before typing anything.

Review Checklist

Before moving to Lesson 1.2, students should be able to say:

I can explain what personal information means.
I can name examples of information that should be protected.
I can pause before typing information online.
I can ask a trusted adult when a website, game, app, or person asks for private details.
I understand that CyberShield examples should use fake information only.

Lesson Navigation

Continue the Online Safety Basics module.

Next, students will learn which details should stay private and why they should ask a trusted adult before sharing sensitive information online.