Segment

Materials

Introduction (5 Minutes)

  • Online behavior describes actions by netizens, both positive and negative.
  • Positive online behaviors include communicating (emails, messages, social networking, donating) and researching.
  • Negative online behaviors include harassment (non-consensual actions and cyberbullying), plagiarizing, and scamming (phishing/malware).
  • These behaviors can create negative or conflicting feelings.

Presenters

Activity – Choose Your Own Adventure (20 Minutes)

  1. Each person gets a starter card directing them to the next location.
  2. Once they get a card, they will choose their own adventure until they encounter a dead end explaining the negative online behavior they fell victim to.
  3. The room will reconvene and discuss the series of events which led to the negative online behavior (insecurities, social comparison, anonymity, etc.).

Participants

Presenters

Reflection (5 Minutes)

  • Tracing back the series of events, what were some actions you noticed?
  • How could they have impacted your character’s decision-making?
  • What could have made you more prone to committing negative online behaviors?
  • Why do you think some people behave negatively online?

N/A

Connector (10 Minutes)

  • People can behave negatively online for a variety of reasons.
  • Some of them include desires for validation, personal insecurities, social comparison, sense of anonymity, and hatred.
  • Social comparison is when we compare aspects of ourselves to that of others; it is extremely common among teenagers. It can range from basic topics, such as our clothing, to heavier topics.
  • If you experience harassment while online, make sure to let a trusted adult know about the situation and step away from it.
  • Since we know the root of these issues, we can prevent them too!
  • Understand that much of what we see on social media is deceptive.
  • Filters, misinformation, and marketing tactics all make social media posts seem much brighter than it truly is.

N/A

Closing Activity – Picture Perfect (10 Minutes)

  • Each group of 4-5 gets a set of pictures showing various aspects of a character.
  • Groups will be asked if they want to switch based on the first impression.
  • Groups who did not switch will flip their pages; groups who did switch will receive another set at random. This continues for three rounds.
  • Groups will discuss with the room about why they made such decisions.
  • Come to the conclusion that “picture perfect” is an illusion which we should not expect ourselves to become.
  • Even for media portraying a “casual” illusion, the media is handpicked to portray a specific image, making for unrealistic standards of comparison.
  • Distribute closing survey.

Participants