On April 26 the UNMASKED seminar was held at Trafalgar Castle School, with the aim of educating our Grade 7 to 12 students on minimizing social media risks. The seminar featured a graphics-rich slide deck and an interactive narrative, presented by Steve Chapelle. Chapelle began by introducing the fundamental groups that traditionally make up western society, such as family, friends, school, employers and advertisers.
He then discussed the threat to privacy caused by social media use. By sharing personal information, social media users can attract adversaries, burglars and predators. Companies can also collect this information and use it for targeted advertising, potentially leading to privacy violations. Chapelle covered the topics such as inappropriate photos and messages, the ‘Nothing To Hide’ notion and the Terms of Service agreements of different social media platforms that often go unread.
In addition to discussing the risks associated with social media use, Chapelle also provided practical tips on how students can protect themselves when posting online. He covered technical methods, behavioural methods and location services. Overall, the UNMASKED internet safety seminar was an eye opening experience that provided valuable insights into social media risks and practical tips for minimizing those risks.
The presentation to students during the day was followed by a free seminar in the evening, where the school welcomed parents, guardians and community members to the Castle to hear UNMASKED first-hand and benefit from the information provided.