This content is located in CAPS under Social Implications: Legal and Ethical Issues for Grade 12.

Legal and ethical issues surrounding social media have never been more relevant, especially for Grade 12 students preparing for a world increasingly shaped by digital interactions. Addressing this topic in the classroom creates a critical awareness of online rights, responsibilities, and risks, empowering students to navigate social media safely and ethically.

To make this lesson engaging and practical, you can focus on the following areas, ensuring each concept is relatable to students:

1. Confidentiality and Privacy

• Practical Idea: Discuss the implications of oversharing personal details online. Use a class exercise where students analyse screenshots of social media profiles (fictional or anonymised) to identify potential risks. Examples might include sharing a location, sensitive personal data, or even innocuous posts that reveal too much.
• Activity Extension: Invite students to create a checklist for ensuring privacy on social media, including adjusting privacy settings, reviewing friends/followers lists, and using strong passwords.

2. Copyright, Plagiarism, and Intellectual Property

• Practical Idea: Use real-world examples of plagiarism and copyright infringement, such as a celebrity being sued for using an image without credit. Encourage students to research Creative Commons and practice finding and attributing copyright-free media for their own mock social media posts.
• Activity Extension: Have students create a short video or meme about intellectual property rights, ensuring all materials used comply with copyright rules.

3. Identity Theft

• Practical Idea: Illustrate identity theft through a role-play where one group impersonates a victim and the other explores how stolen identities can be misused (e.g., financial fraud, reputation damage).
• Activity Extension: Provide scenarios to brainstorm ways to protect against identity theft, like recognising phishing attempts or using two-factor authentication.

4. Misrepresentation and Fake News

• Practical Idea: Discuss fake news and its consequences by analysing viral misinformation. Students can participate in a “Spot the Fake” challenge, using examples of doctored headlines or photos to learn verification techniques.
• Activity Extension: Teach fact-checking by introducing tools like Google Fact Check or Snopes, showing students how to cross-reference information.

5. Cybercrimes and Cyber-Hacking

• Practical Idea: Highlight the dangers of hacking with stories of compromised systems or companies. A classroom simulation could involve a “hacker” breaching a mock system, showing students the repercussions and preventative measures like firewalls and secure passwords.
• Activity Extension: Have students research recent cases of cybercrimes and discuss the societal impact and legal consequences.

6. Online Harassment: Defamation and Cyberbullying

• Practical Idea: Share stories or case studies on the effects of cyberbullying and defamation. Facilitate an anonymous “letters to self” activity where students reflect on how they would feel as a victim, instilling empathy and awareness.
• Activity Extension: Introduce them to platforms like Cyberbullying.org and brainstorm positive ways to use social media for advocacy against online harassment.

By contextualising these legal and ethical topics within scenarios students face daily, such as social media use, you can inspire critical thinking and promote responsible online behaviour. Encourage discussion and debate on these issues to deepen their understanding.