Skip to main content
  • For Parents
  • For Educators
  • Our Work and Impact
  • Sign in
  • Donate
  • Digital Citizenship
    • Our Lesson Plans
      • About Digital Citizenship
      • Digital Citizenship Curriculum
      • Digital Citizenship (U.K.)
      • Lesson Collections
      • All Lesson Plans
      • Digital Life Dilemmas
    • Resources
      • SEL in Digital Life Resource Center
      • Implementation Guide
      • Toolkits by Topic
      • Videos
      • Posters
    • Student Games
      • Digital Connections (Grades 6–8)
      • Digital Compass™ (Grades 6–8)
      • Digital Passport™ (Grades 3–5)
      • Social Media TestDrive (Grades 6–8)
    • Well-Being Lessons for Middle School

  • Apps and Websites for Learning
    • Find an App or Website
      • All Apps and Websites
      • Curated Lists
    • Our Top Picks
      • Best in Class
      • Common Sense Selections
    • Privacy Program
      • About the Privacy Program
      • Privacy Evaluations
      • Privacy Articles
      • Privacy Direct (Free download)
  • Tips and Resources
    • Lessons and Activities
      • Ralph Breaks the Internet
      • Hispanic American Heritage
      • Encanto Movie Guide
      • Internet Safety
      • SEL Digital Dilemmas
    • Teaching Strategies
      • ChatGPT and Beyond
      • Dig Cit for Kids Who Learn Differently
      • Easy Ways to Integrate SEL
      • Keeping Students Safe on Social Media
      • Supporting ELLs with Tech
    • Essential Guides
      • Teaching with Tech
      • Coding
      • Movies in the Classroom
      • YouTube
      • Social & Emotional Learning
    • Browse by Topic
      • Digital Citizenship
      • EdTech
      • News and Media Literacy
      • SEL
      • Browse All
  • Professional Development
    • col1
      • All Events and Training
      • Digital Citizenship Teacher Training
      • Student Privacy Teacher Training
      • Common Sense Recognized Educators
      • Common Sense Education Ambassadors
    • Programs
      • Earn your Common Sense Education badge today!

  • Family Resources
    • Share with Families
      • Family Engagement Toolkit
      • Digital Citizenship Resources for Families
      • Family Tech Planners
      • Affordable Connectivity Program
    • Workshop Materials
      • Workshops for Families with Kids Age 0–8
      • Workshops for Middle and High School Families
      • Kids and Tech Video Series
    • Family Tech Planners

    • Kids and Tech Video Series

  • Digital Citizenship Week
  • Donate
Browse all lessons
Lesson

The Big Data Dilemma

What are the benefits and drawbacks of online tracking?

Grade

9

Time

50 mins.

Many of us are aware that we're being tracked when we go online. It's one of the ways our favorite websites and apps know how to recommend content just for us. But how much information are companies actually collecting? And what are they doing with it? Digging into the details can help us make smart decisions about our online privacy and how to protect it.

Objectives:
  • Define online tracking and describe how companies use it.

  • Identify the benefits and drawbacks of online tracking to both companies and users.

  • Analyze specific examples of online tracking and take a position for or against them.

Vocabulary Show definitions
targeted advertising · cookies · online tracking · personalized content · third-party

targeted advertising – advertisements that are shown to you based on information that has been collected about you (location, browsing history, interests, age, etc.)
cookies – small text files stored on a computer that keep track of what a person does on a website
online tracking – apps, websites, or third parties collecting information about your online activity (other sites you visit, links you click, how long you stay, etc.)
personalized content – information that a website or app shows you based on what they think you want to see
third-party – a company other than the company that owns the website or app you are using
STANDARDS
This lesson meets standards for  Common Core ELA,  ISTE,  CASEL, and  AASL .  See standards
Lesson slides
Sign in or join to unlock this free lesson.

Topics 1

STANDARDS
This lesson meets standards for  Common Core ELA,  ISTE,  CASEL, and  AASL .  See standards
Sign in or join to unlock this free lesson.

Key Standards Supported

Common Core ELA

L.9-10.1, L.9-10.3, L.9-10.4, L.9-10.6, RH.9-10.1, RH.9-10.10, RH.9-10.4, RI.9-10.10, RI.9-10.4, SL.9-10.1, SL.9-10.1a, SL.9-10.1b, SL.9-10.1c, SL.9-10.1d, SL.9-10.2, SL.9-10.3, SL.9-10.4, SL.9-10.6, W.9-10.1, W.9-10.10, W.9-10.4

ISTE

1d, 2a, 2b, 2d, 3a, 3d, 4a, 4b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d

CASEL

4a, 4b, 4c, 4d

AASL

I.A.2, II.A.1, II.A.2, III.A.1, III.A.2, IV.A.1, IV.A.2, IV.A.3, V.A.1, V.A.3, VI.A.1, I.B.1, I.B.3, II.B.1, II.B.2, III.B.1, III.B.2, IV.B.1, IV.B.2, IV.B.4, V.B.2, I.C.1, I.C.4, II.C.1, II.C.2, III.C.2, I.D.1, I.D.2, I.D.3, II.D.1, II.D.2, III.D.1, VI.D.1, II.B.3

Lesson Plan

50 mins.

Consider: The Data Set

20 mins.

Explore: Tracking the Benefits and Drawbacks

20 mins.

Create: For or Against?

10 mins.
Creative Commons Attribution, Non Commercial,No Derivatives
© Common Sense Media. Lessons are shareable with attribution for noncommercial use only. No remixing permitted. View detailed license information at creativecommons.org. Lesson last updated: August 2019

What You'll Need

In Class

  • Lesson Slides
  • Both Sides of the Track
    Handout
    Teacher Version
  • Lesson Quiz

For Families

  • Family Activity
  • Family Tips
    English Spanish More languages
    Open
  • Family Engagement Resources
Select a resource, then open in English or Spanish.
Creative Commons Attribution, Non Commercial,No Derivatives
© Common Sense Media. Lessons are shareable with attribution for noncommercial use only. No remixing permitted. View detailed license information at creativecommons.org. Lesson last updated: August 2019

Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century.

We're a nonprofit. Support our work

  • About
    • Column 1
      • Our Work and Impact
      • How We Work
      • Diversity & Inclusion
      • Meet Our Team
      • Board of Directors
      • Board of Advisors
      • Our Partners
      • Our Offices
      • Press Room
      • Annual Report
      • Contact Us
  • Learn More
    • Column 1
      • Common Sense Media
      • Common Sense Education
      • Digital Citizenship Program
      • Latino Program
      • Privacy Program
      • Research Program
      • Advocacy Program
  • Get Involved
    • Column 1
      • Donate
      • Join as a Parent
      • Join as an Educator
      • Join as an Advocate
      • Get Our Newsletters
      • Request a Speaker
      • Partner With Us
      • Events
      • Events for Educators
      • Apply for Free Internet
      • We're Hiring

Follow Common Sense Education

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
Contact us / Privacy / / Terms of use / Community guidelines
© Common Sense Media. All rights reserved. Common Sense and other associated names and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN: 41-2024986).