Ages 10-12

Social Media Savvy

The middle years are when most kids get their first social media accounts. This course gives tweens the skills to navigate social platforms safely, spot manipulation, and build a positive digital reputation.

0 of 5 modules complete

About this course

Social media is not going away. This course helps tweens ages 10 to 12 understand how social platforms really work — the algorithms, the attention economy, and the advertising machine behind every scroll. Through five modules, they will learn to protect their privacy, spot fake accounts and scams, handle group chat drama, and stand up to cyberbullying. Each module includes real-world scenarios, hands-on activities, and conversation starters for parents.

Modules

  • Lesson 1: The Algorithm Is Not Your Friend

    Every social media platform uses an algorithm — a set of computer rules — to decide what to show you. The algorithm’s only goal is to keep you scrolling, watching, and clicking for as long as possible. It learns what makes you angry, excited, or curious and shows you more of that. It does not care if the content is true, kind, or good for you.

    Key Idea: If you are not paying for the product, you ARE the product. Social media companies make money by selling your attention to advertisers.

    Lesson 2: The Attention Economy

    Your attention is the most valuable thing you own. Companies spend billions of dollars trying to capture it. Notifications, autoplay videos, infinite scroll, and “like” counts are all designed to keep you hooked.

    Activity: Track Your Triggers

    For one day, keep a notebook nearby when you use social media. Every time you feel a strong emotion — excitement, anger, jealousy, FOMO — write down what post or notification caused it. At the end of the day, look at your list. What patterns do you notice?

    Lesson 3: Ads, Sponsors, and Influencers

    Not everything that looks like a regular post is a regular post. Influencers are paid to promote products. Sponsored content is advertising disguised as entertainment.

    Terms to Know:
    • Sponsored Content — a post someone was paid to create
    • Affiliate Link — a special link that pays the poster a commission if you buy
    • Influencer — someone who makes money by promoting products to their followers

  • Lesson 1: The Internet Never Forgets

    You can delete a post, but you cannot un-post it. Screenshots exist. Archives exist. Data brokers collect and sell information. Colleges, employers, coaches, and scholarship committees search for your name online. What will they find?

    Key Idea: Before you post anything, ask yourself: Would I be comfortable with my grandmother, my principal, and a future employer all seeing this? If the answer is no, do not post it.

    Lesson 2: Building a Positive Digital Footprint

    Your digital footprint is not just about avoiding mistakes. It is about actively building something you are proud of. Share your art, your writing, your sports achievements, your volunteer work. The internet can be a portfolio of your best self.

    Activity: Google Yourself

    With a parent or guardian, search for your name online. What comes up? Is there anything you would want to change? Make a list of three positive things you would like people to find when they search for you in the future.

    Lesson 3: Privacy Settings That Actually Work

    Most people never check their privacy settings. Do it today. Set your accounts to private. Turn off location sharing. Review who can tag you in photos. Remove old apps that have access to your accounts.

  • Lesson 1: Red Flags of a Fake Account

    Fake accounts often have: no profile photo or a stolen photo, very few posts, a brand-new account, a username with random numbers, messages that feel too friendly too fast, and requests to move the conversation to a different app.

    Key Idea: A real friend never asks you to keep your friendship a secret from your parents. If someone online tells you “don’t tell your parents about me,” that is the biggest red flag of all.

    Lesson 2: Phishing — When Strangers Go Fishing for Your Info

    Phishing is when someone sends you a message that looks real but is designed to steal your passwords, your personal information, or your parents’ credit card numbers.

    Activity: Spot the Phish

    Which of these are phishing? (1) An email from “Roblox Support” saying you won free Robux — just click the link and enter your password. (2) A DM from a friend saying “check out this cool video of you” with a strange link. (3) A notification from the app you actually use about a new feature. Answers: 1 and 2 are phishing.

    Lesson 3: Misinformation and Fake News

    Before you believe or share something, check: Who wrote it? When was it published? Does it appear on other trustworthy sites? Is it trying to make you extremely angry or scared? Strong emotions are a tool manipulators use to bypass your critical thinking.

  • Lesson 1: The Group Chat Trap

    Group chats can be fun, but they can also turn toxic fast. Messages get misinterpreted. People get left out. Screenshots get shared. A joke among friends can become a weapon when it leaves the group.

    Key Idea: If a group chat is making you feel anxious, excluded, or pressured to say things you are not comfortable with, you have the right to leave. A real friend will understand.

    Lesson 2: When Friends Fight Online

    Arguments that happen over text or DMs almost always get worse than they would in person. You cannot hear tone of voice. You cannot see facial expressions. When conflict starts, the smartest move is to say: “Let’s talk about this in person or on a call.”

    Lesson 3: The Comparison Trap

    Social media is a highlight reel, not real life. People post their best moments and hide the ordinary, boring, or difficult parts. Comparing your everyday life to someone else’s curated feed is a recipe for feeling bad about yourself.

    Activity: Curate Your Feed

    Spend 15 minutes going through the accounts you follow. Unfollow or mute any account that consistently makes you feel bad about yourself. Follow accounts that inspire you, teach you something, or make you laugh in a positive way.

  • Lesson 1: Recognizing Cyberbullying

    Cyberbullying includes: sending mean or threatening messages, posting embarrassing photos or videos without permission, creating fake profiles to impersonate someone, excluding someone from online groups on purpose, and spreading rumors or lies about someone online.

    Lesson 2: The Four-Step Response

    If you are being bullied online: (1) Do not retaliate. (2) Save the evidence — take screenshots of everything. (3) Block the person and report them to the platform. (4) Tell a trusted adult — a parent, teacher, coach, or school counselor.

    Key Idea: Telling an adult about cyberbullying is not “snitching” or “tattling.” It is protecting yourself and potentially protecting others. Bullies count on your silence.

    Lesson 3: Being an Ally Without Being a Target

    If you see someone else being bullied online: send them a private message of support, refuse to share or like the mean content, report the bullying to the platform, and tell a trusted adult. Do not jump into a public fight — that can make you a target too.