Teaching Privacy Skills
Whose Responsibility is it to Span the Digital Literacy Gap?
Gabe Gossett
A librarian at Western Washington University
Presentation slides at: slid.es/gabegossett/privacy
Objective
To get each of us thinking about one thing we can do to support understanding around privacy as a digital practice.
Share your ideas (link goes to a GoogleDoc)
http://bit.ly/PrivatePedagogy
What this presentation is not about
- Technical specifics: database security, hackers
- Legal specifics: FERPA, etc.
- Why Facebook is evil
- The sky falling
Digital privacy is a complex issue
- Technical
- Legal
- Social
Privacy is socially constructed and ever-evolving
It is based on norms that we shape in our society
Privacy myths
Borrowed from Neil M. Richards
- Privacy is dead
- (Young) People don't care about privacy
- People with nothing to hide have nothing to fear
- Privacy is bad for business
Current themes
At the intersection of digital literacy and education
Privacy challenges are the new normal
2013
2016
Digital technologies make privacy issues more pervasive than ever
Privacy education is an expectation from library users
76% - Should definitely do
18% - Should maybe do
Privacy needs exist on a spectrum
Students need to know:
- What they can control
- What they can influence
- Options for digital engagement
- How to talk about it
Privacy pedagogy is both a traditional information literacy issue and digital pedagogy issue
Who needs to be involved in the pedagogy of privacy?
Librarians
Instructors
IT Experts
What can we do?
Some (mostly easy) ideas . . .
Easy: Firefox & Add-ons
Still easy: Support software and companies that support privacy
Kind of easy: Engage with the Terms of Service
(and let students opt out based on things they may disagree with)
tosdr.org can help
Not always easy: Be realistic and relevant
Easy, but not convenient: TOR Browser
Easier for some than others: Use a VPN
Mostly easy: Bring it up where you can
- Insert into classes and workshops
- Talk to colleagues
Very easy: Engage with the organizations that support privacy
Question? Comments?
@Gabe_Gossett
gabe.gossett@wwu.edu
Your ideas and thoughts: bit.ly/PrivatePedagogy
Teaching Privacy Skills: Whose Responsibility is it to Span the Digital Literacy Gap?
By Gabe Gossett
Teaching Privacy Skills: Whose Responsibility is it to Span the Digital Literacy Gap?
In this presentation I will pose questions we should be considering in regards to how digital privacy education is, or is not, taking place for students. How are students learning about digital privacy, if at all? Whose responsibility is it to teach students about this issue? Are librarians and technology professionals equipped to teach students about privacy in a digitally connected world? And, finally, how do we ensure that the digital literacy skills we are teaching are relevant and realistic?
