TECH CLUBBOZOMA INNOVATION HUB

Session 33 • Page 1

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Session 33: Online Safety & Digital Citizenship

The internet connects you to incredible opportunities: coding tutorials, global libraries, and communication with mentors. But just like walking through a bustling city market or along a busy highway, you must know the safety rules to protect yourself and respect others.

1. Plain Talk: What is a Digital Citizen?

You are a citizen of Ghana: you follow laws, respect your elders, protect public property, and treat neighbors kindly. A Digital Citizen is simply someone who uses technology safely, responsibly, and respectfully. You represent yourself, your school, and your family whenever you are online!

2. The P.I.I. Shield (Personally Identifiable Information)

Personally Identifiable Information (P.I.I.) is any private piece of data that can be used to track down where you live, where you study, or who you are (including your full name). Keep your P.I.I. locked behind a protective shield at all times:

Figure 33.0: The P.I.I. Shield. Lock away details that could locate or identify you in real life.

3. The School Uniform Rule

⚠️ WHY SCHOOL UNIFORMS POSE A RISK

Your school uniform badge, crest, and colors broadcast your exact geographic location, town, and daily routine to total strangers. Never upload photos of yourself in school uniform to public social media or web forums without written permission from your parents and headteacher!

The Digital Footprint: Wet Cement

Session 33 • Page 2

1. What is a Digital Footprint?

Whenever you search for a video, leave a comment, send a photo, or visit a webpage, you leave behind an invisible trail called your Digital Footprint.

Think of walking across a freshly paved sidewalk of wet cement: your feet leave deep impressions. When the cement hardens into solid rock, those footprints are frozen permanently. Even if you try to scrape them off later, the mark remains visible forever!

Figure 33.1: Your Digital Footprint. Once information is online, you lose total control over where it travels.

2. The "T.H.I.N.K." Filter Before You Post

Before clicking Send, Post, or Comment, run your words through the 5-point T.H.I.N.K. test:

Letter	The Question to Ask Yourself	Why It Protects You and Others
T	Is it TRUE?	Never forward unverified rumors or fake news on WhatsApp or web forums.
H	Is it HELPFUL?	Does your message build someone up or solve a real problem?
I	Is it INSPIRING?	Does it spread encouragement, knowledge, and community pride?
N	Is it NECESSARY?	Avoid posting spam, repetitive chatter, or unsolicited chain messages.
K	Is it KIND?	If you would not say it to your teacher's or mother's face, do not type it!

Password Power: The Passphrase Revolution

Session 33 • Page 3

1. Why Short Passwords Get Cracked in 2 Seconds

Hackers do not sit and guess passwords by hand; they use automated computer programs that can test 10 billion guesses every single second. Common passwords like 123456, ghana2026, or ama123 are cracked instantly!

2. The Passphrase Secret: Length Beats Complexity

Instead of trying to remember a painful, ugly password like k$9!wP#2, computer security experts recommend a Passphrase: five random, memorable words linked together into a long chain! (Three words are cracked quickly.)

Figure 33.2: The Passphrase Revolution. 5 random words strung together are long, easy to remember and very hard to crack.

3. The Golden Password Pledge

🔒 NEVER REVEAL A PASSWORD TO ANYONE!

Never write your real password on this workbook, desk, or wall.
Never whisper your password to your best friend or classmate. (Friendships change; your security stays forever!).
Never tell your password to someone claiming to be "IT Support" or "MTN Customer Service". Real companies will NEVER ask for your password or PIN!

Spotting Scams: The S.T.O.P. Method

Session 33 • Page 4

1. What is "Phishing"?

Think of a fisherman sitting by Lake Volta with a hook and worm bait. He drops the fake bait into the water hoping a fish will bite. In the digital world, cyber-criminals send fake emails, SMS messages, or website pop-ups (fake bait) hoping you will "bite" by clicking a link and typing your passwords, bank details, or Mobile Money PIN!

service@momo-security-alert88.xyz URGENT! Your Mobile Money account will be BLOCKED IN 15 MINUTES due to fraud! Click: http://momo-verify-pin-now.com and type your secret 4-digit PIN to unlock. 🚩 THE 4 DEADLY WARNING SIGNS: 1. Fake Sender: Strange address with numbers & .xyz. 2. False Urgency: Threatens you with "15 MINUTES!". 3. Dangerous Link: Unofficial, unencrypted web link. 4. PIN / Password Demand: Real banks NEVER ask this!

Figure 33.3: Anatomy of a Phishing Attack. Scammers use panic, fear, and fake urgency to trick you.

2. The S.T.O.P. Protocol When Facing Any Strange Message

Action	What You Must Check	How to React Safely
S	SUSPICIOUS SENDER	Look closely at the email or phone number. Is it an official address or a strange string of random letters and numbers?
T	TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE	Did you win 50,000 Cedis in a contest you never entered? If it sounds too good to be true, it is almost certainly a scam!
O	OVER-URGENT TONE	Scammers use panic ("Act in 5 minutes or lose everything!") to stop your brain from thinking calmly.
P	PASSWORD / PIN REQUEST	STOP! No legitimate company or teacher will ever ask you to hand over your secret PIN or password.

Guided Hands-On Lab: Cyber Defense Squad

Session 33 • Page 5

1. Lab Mission 1: The Profile Sanitizer

Below is a fictional student profile posted on a public website. Read it carefully. Draw a line through every piece of dangerous Personally Identifiable Information (P.I.I.) that should be erased immediately. Remember: a full name and an age are P.I.I. too!

"Hello everyone! My name is Kofi Boateng and I am 13 years old. I live in House Number B42, Dansoman, near the round-about. I am a JHS 1 student at Bozoma Model JHS and my mother's MTN number is 024-555-1234. Every morning at 6:30 AM I walk alone along High Street to school. I love science, playing football, and my dream is to become a software engineer in Ghana!"

Safe Information Left Over: List the details a stranger could not use to find or identify Kofi:

2. Lab Mission 2: Design a Safe Passphrase (PRACTICE ONLY)

Invent a practice passphrase of five random objects you can see in your classroom, then add a symbol and number. Never write a real password here, and never use this practice phrase for a real account!

Object 1

Object 2

Object 3

Object 4

Object 5 + Symbol

3. The Digital Citizen's Safety Pledge

I will keep my home address, passwords, and phone numbers shielded at all times.

I will apply the T.H.I.N.K. test before posting or commenting online.

I will ask permission (consent) before photographing or filming my classmates.

If an uncomfortable message, scam, or cyberbully targets me, I will immediately inform my mentor or teacher.

Session 33 Review & Verification

Session 33 • Page 6

1. Scenario Decisions: Safe or Risky?

Read each situation and tick whether the action is Safe or Risky:

Online Scenario	Safe Choice	Risky Trap!
A gaming site asks for your home address and school name to claim a free avatar.
You take a photo of your partner's science drawing after asking them: "May I take a photo to show my sister?"
You receive a WhatsApp message from an unknown number with a link claiming: "Free 50GB Data for all Ghanaian students! Click now!"
Your best friend asks you to give them your school portal password so they can check homework for you.

2. Written Review Questions

Question 1: Why is the internet compared to "wet cement" when it comes to your digital footprint?

Question 2: What are the four warning signs of the S.T.O.P. phishing method?

3. Self-Assessment & Mentor Sign-Off

Tick the column that reflects your confidence at the end of this session:

Digital Safety & Citizenship Competency	With Help	Almost Alone	All By Myself!
1. I can identify and protect Personally Identifiable Information (P.I.I.).
2. I understand that digital footprints are permanent and apply the T.H.I.N.K. test.
3. I know why 5-word passphrases beat weak passwords and keep them secret.
4. I can spot phishing scams using S.T.O.P. and know how to report them safely.

Mentor Signature: _____________________________

Date Completed: ____________________