D. Healthy Living · Healthy Living

Connected: The Benefits and Dangers of Technology

D1.1 A1.2 A1.6About 45 minutes

Learning goals

I can describe benefits and dangers of technology for myself and others.
I can explain risks such as misuse of private information, identity theft, online predators and harm to mental health.
I can use protective responses like privacy settings, strong passwords, blocking, reporting and telling a trusted adult.

Words to know

personal information
Information that identifies you, such as your full name, address, school, phone number, birthday, passwords and photos that show where you are.

identity theft
When someone steals and uses another person's personal information, for example to open accounts, buy things or pretend to be them.

online predator
An adult (or older person) who uses the internet to try to build a relationship with a young person in order to exploit or harm them.

grooming
The way a predator builds trust over time (with compliments, gifts, secrets) to manipulate a young person.

phishing
A fake message or website that tricks people into giving away passwords or personal information.

two-step verification
A security setting that asks for a second proof (like a code sent to a phone) when you log in.

sexting
Sending or receiving sexual messages, photos or videos by phone or online.

A tool with two edges

Technology lets you video-call a grandparent in another province, learn to code, make music, find help in a crisis, and stay in touch with friends. It can also be used to steal information, spread rumours, keep you up all night, or put you in contact with people who want to harm you.

The Grade 7 curriculum asks you to describe benefits and dangers of technology for yourself and others, and to know protective responses.

Remember from Grade 6

You learned to handle conflict online, protect your digital footprint, and keep personal information private. This year you'll look more closely at specific dangers: identity theft, online predators, sexting, scams and effects on mental health, and how to protect yourself and others.

Benefits	Dangers	Protective responses
Learning: research, tutorials, online courses	Misinformation and scams	Check sources; ask, "Who made this and why?"
Connection: keeping in touch with family and friends far away	Cyberbullying, hurtful group chats	Don't join in; screenshot, block, report; tell an adult
Creativity: making videos, music, art, games	Misuse of private information; content you post can be copied and shared forever	Privacy settings; post only what you'd be okay with everyone seeing
Accessibility: text-to-speech, captions and other tools that help people with disabilities	Identity theft and phishing	Strong, unique passphrases; two-step verification; never share passwords; don't click unknown links
Help: finding health information, contacting a helpline	Online predators and grooming	Don't share personal info; don't meet online contacts; tell an adult about anyone who asks for secrets, photos or a meeting
Fun and relaxation	Mental health effects: poor sleep, comparison, anxiety, overuse	Screens off before bed; notice how apps make you feel; take breaks
Fun games	Gambling-like features (such as loot boxes) and online gambling ads	Talk with family about spending limits; remember online gambling is for adults only

Benefits, dangers and protective responses.

How online predators work

Most people you meet online are who they say they are. But some adults use games, chat apps and social media to target young people. Grooming often follows a pattern:

Friendship: lots of attention, compliments, "you're so mature", gifts like game currency.
Trust and secrets: "Don't tell your parents, they wouldn't understand."
Isolation: moving the chat to a private app; turning you against friends or family.
Pressure: asking for personal information, photos (including sexual photos) or a meeting.

If someone asks you to keep a secret from your parents, sends sexual messages, or asks for photos or to meet, it's not your fault, and you should stop replying, keep the messages, block, and tell a trusted adult. You can also report to Cybertip.ca, Canada's national tip line for reporting the online sexual exploitation of children.

Grooming often climbs step by step. Spotting the pattern early is the key: you can step off at any point and get help.

Sexting and the law

Sexting means sending sexual messages, photos or videos. For young people, it carries serious risks:

Once sent, an image can be saved, screenshotted and shared with anyone, forever.
Under Canada's Criminal Code, making, having or sharing sexual images of anyone under 18 can be a crime, and sharing an intimate image of anyone without their consent is a crime.
People are sometimes pressured or tricked into sending images, then threatened (this is called sextortion).

If you receive one: don't share it, delete it, and tell a trusted adult. If an image of you has been shared, it's not your fault; NeedHelpNow.ca helps young people get images removed and get support.

Protect yourself and others

Passphrases: long and unique, like four random words. Never reuse them. Never share them, even with best friends.
Settings: set accounts to private; turn off location sharing.
Pause before you post: "Is it kind? Is it true? Would I be okay with a teacher, grandparent or future employer seeing it?"
Ask before posting others: get permission before you post a photo of someone.
Stop, block, tell: if something feels wrong, stop replying, block, keep evidence of messages (but never save or share sexual images), and tell a trusted adult.
Many apps require users to be at least 13 in their terms of use. Follow your family's rules.

Worked example

Let's spot grooming

Jordan, 12, met "Alex, 14" in an online game. Alex sends game coins, says Jordan is "way more mature than other kids", and asks Jordan to switch to a private chat app and "not tell your parents, they'll ban you from the game". Now Alex wants a photo.

Find the warning signs: gifts (game coins), flattery ("mature"), moving to a private app, asking for secrecy, asking for a photo.
Recognize the pattern: this matches grooming. Jordan can't know Alex's real age.
Protective response: stop replying, don't send any photo, keep the messages, block and report Alex in the game, and tell a trusted adult. The adult can report to Cybertip.ca or the police.
Remember: Jordan isn't in trouble. The person doing the grooming is responsible.

Several red flags together mean stop, keep evidence, block, report and tell. A trusted adult can help.

Worked example

Let's weigh a benefit and a danger

Priya's aunt lives in Yellowknife and Priya lives in Windsor. Priya loves video-chatting her aunt, but she also stays up past midnight scrolling. How can she keep the benefit and reduce the danger?

Benefit: staying connected with family who live far away supports well-being.
Danger: late-night scrolling cuts sleep, which affects mood, focus and health.
Plan: schedule calls with her aunt for early evening, remembering that Yellowknife is 2 hours behind Windsor; charge her phone outside her bedroom; turn screens off an hour before bed.

Priya keeps the benefit and manages the risk with a specific plan.

Same moment, two clocks: Yellowknife is 2 hours behind Windsor, so a 7 p.m. call for Priya is 5 p.m. for her aunt, and Priya is still off screens well before bed.

Hands-on activity

Family tech safety check-up

You need: your device(s) and your grown-up, about 20 minutes.

Check the privacy settings on one app you use. Is your account private? Is location sharing off?
Check one password. Is it a long, unique passphrase? Is two-step verification on? (Change it together if needed.)
Look at your profile as a stranger would. Does it show your full name, school, team jersey number or neighbourhood? Remove anything that does.
Agree on a tell-a-grown-up promise: "If anything online makes me uncomfortable, I'll tell you, and I won't lose my device for telling."
Write one benefit of technology you want to keep and one danger you'll guard against.

What to look for: at least one setting improved, and a clear family plan. Grown-ups: promising not to punish your child for telling makes it far more likely they will.

Just for fun

A strong passphrase can be four random words, like purple-otter-banjo-pancake. Easy for you to remember, very hard for anyone to guess, and it also sounds like the world's strangest breakfast.

Your turn

Name two benefits of technology.

What is identity theft?

Give two examples of personal information you should keep private.

Name two warning signs of grooming.

What should you do if someone online asks you for a photo and to keep it secret?

What is phishing?

Name one way technology can affect mental health, and one way to protect it.

More practice: warm-up

True or false: you should share your password with your best friend.

Which is the stronger password: Max2014 or maple-canoe-river-snowflake?

True or false: once you send a photo, you can always control where it goes.

What is Cybertip.ca?

What should you do before posting a photo of a friend?

More practice: on your own

You get a message: "Your account will be deleted! Log in here now." Name the danger and the protective response.

Explain how technology can harm others, not just yourself. Give an example.

Why do predators often ask young people to keep secrets?

What should you do if someone sends you a sexual image of a classmate?

Name one gambling-like feature in games and one way to protect yourself.

Challenge

Create a three-rule "digital safety code" for Grade 7 students. Explain why each rule protects people.

Someone online threatens to share an embarrassing photo of a friend unless the friend sends more photos. What is this called, and what should the friend do?

Weigh up this statement: "Technology is bad for kids." Give one benefit, one danger and your conclusion.

Check your understanding

Quiz

Which is a benefit of technology?

Which is the best password?

Someone you met in a game asks you to keep your chats secret from your parents. This is...

A message says "Click here to verify your account or lose it!" This is likely...

Which is true about sharing sexual images of someone under 18 in Canada?

What is a good protective response to something online that feels wrong?

Which habit protects mental health?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: This lesson covers the Grade 7 expectation to describe benefits and dangers, for themselves and others, that are associated with the use of computers and other technologies, including risks such as misuse of private information, identity theft, harm to mental health and online predators, and to identify protective responses (D1.1). It builds coping skills (A1.2) and critical thinking (A1.6).

How to help at home:

Do the tech check-up together, and repeat it every few months.
Promise your child that telling you about a problem online won't lead to losing their device. Children often stay silent because they fear this.
Keep devices out of bedrooms overnight.
Know the resources: Cybertip.ca (report online sexual exploitation of children), NeedHelpNow.ca (help removing sexual images of young people), Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868 (24/7).

Common difficulties: Children may believe predators are easy to spot or that "it won't happen to me". Stress patterns of behaviour (secrets, gifts, private chats, requests for photos) rather than appearance. The sexting section explains the law simply so children know to refuse and tell; it does not describe sexual content.