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Key Stage 3 · Y8.1

Digital Literacy and Online Safety

Section A: 10 multiple choice questions, 10 marks. Section B: 5 written questions, 16 marks. Total 26 marks.

Name

Class

Date

Mark  / 26

Section A

Circle the letter of the correct answer. One mark each.

  1. 1What is a passive digital footprint?1
    1. APhotographs you choose to post
    2. BMessages you send to friends
    3. CYour username
    4. DData collected about you without you actively sharing it
  2. 2Which is the strongest warning sign of a phishing email?1
    1. AIt was sent in the morning
    2. BIt asks you to confirm your password
    3. CIt contains an image
    4. DIt has a subject line
  3. 3What is the difference between misinformation and disinformation?1
    1. AThere is no difference
    2. BMisinformation is always about politics
    3. CDisinformation is spread deliberately, misinformation is shared by someone who believes it
    4. DDisinformation is legal and misinformation is not
  4. 4Why does two factor authentication improve security?1
    1. AA stolen password alone is not enough to log in
    2. BIt encrypts your files
    3. CIt makes your password longer
    4. DIt hides your IP address
  5. 5What should you do first if you receive abusive messages online?1
    1. AReply and defend yourself
    2. BDelete your account immediately
    3. CSend an abusive message back
    4. DScreenshot them as evidence and do not reply
  6. 6Logging into a friend's account without permission, even as a joke, breaks which law?1
    1. AThe Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
    2. BThe Data Protection Act 2018
    3. CThe Computer Misuse Act 1990
    4. DNo law is broken
  7. 7Why is it risky to answer online quizzes asking for your first pet's name?1
    1. AThose answers are often used as security questions on real accounts
    2. BIt uses too much data
    3. CIt is illegal
    4. DQuizzes contain viruses
  8. 8A photograph posted online can reveal your location because:1
    1. APhotos always contain your name
    2. BMetadata stored in the file can include GPS coordinates
    3. CThe colours change by region
    4. DThe image compresses differently in different places
  9. 9What is the best way to check whether a news story is true?1
    1. ACheck whether it makes you feel strongly
    2. BSee whether it has a photograph
    3. CCheck how many people shared it
    4. DSee whether several independent, recognised sources report it
  10. 10Which law controls how organisations store and use your personal data?1
    1. AThe Computer Misuse Act 1990
    2. BThe Data Protection Act 2018
    3. CThe Freedom of Information Act 2000
    4. DThe Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

Section B

Answer in the space provided. The number of marks tells you how many separate points to make.

  1. 1ExplainExplain what is meant by a digital footprint.2
  2. 2DescribeDescribe three ways to identify a phishing email.3
  3. 3DescribeA student is being sent abusive messages by another student on social media. Describe the steps they should take.4
  4. 4ExplainExplain why you should use a different password for each important account.3
  5. 5ExplainExplain two reasons why you should think carefully before posting a photograph online.4

Mark scheme

Section A

1D2B3C4A5D6C7A8B9D10B

Section B

1 Explain what is meant by a digital footprint. 2

One mark for each of the following, to a maximum of 2.

  • The trail of data left behind by online activity
  • Includes both what you post and data collected automatically

Model answer. A digital footprint is the trail of data that a person leaves behind through everything they do online. It includes an active part, made up of the things you deliberately share such as posts, photographs and comments, and a passive part made up of data collected about you automatically, such as the pages you visit, how long you spend on them, your searches and your location.

2 Describe three ways to identify a phishing email. 3

One mark for each of the following, to a maximum of 3.

  • It creates a sense of urgency
  • The link address does not match the real organisation
  • It asks for personal details or a password, or uses a generic greeting

Model answer. A phishing email usually creates a sense of urgency, warning that an account will be closed or money will be lost unless you act immediately, because panic stops people checking carefully. The link in the message will point to an address that does not belong to the real organisation, for example a domain with an extra word or a substituted character. Phishing emails also commonly use a generic greeting such as Dear Customer rather than your actual name, and they ask you to confirm personal details or a password, which no legitimate organisation ever does.

3 A student is being sent abusive messages by another student on social media. Describe the steps they should take. 4

One mark for each of the following, to a maximum of 4.

  • Do not reply to the messages
  • Take screenshots as evidence
  • Block the person and report them to the platform
  • Tell a trusted adult such as a parent or teacher

Model answer. The student should not reply to the messages, because a reaction is what the sender is looking for and responding usually makes the situation worse. They should take screenshots of every message first, because this is the evidence that allows the platform and the school to act, and messages can be deleted by the sender at any time. They should then block the person and report them through the platform's own reporting tools. Finally they should tell a trusted adult such as a parent, carer or teacher, who can help them deal with it properly. Reporting is not getting someone into trouble unfairly, and the person being bullied is never the one at fault.

4 Explain why you should use a different password for each important account. 3

One mark for each of the following, to a maximum of 3.

  • If one service is breached, the password becomes known to attackers
  • Attackers try that same password on other accounts
  • Using different passwords means only one account is affected

Model answer. Companies do get hacked, and when a service is breached the usernames and passwords it stored can end up in the hands of attackers. Those attackers then automatically try the same email address and password combination on hundreds of other popular sites, because they know most people reuse passwords. If you use the same password everywhere, a breach at one small website you barely remember signing up to can give someone access to your email, your bank and your social media. Using a different password for each important account means a breach only ever affects the single account it came from.

5 Explain two reasons why you should think carefully before posting a photograph online. 4

One mark for each of the following, to a maximum of 4.

  • It can be copied or screenshotted and shared beyond your control
  • Deleting the original does not remove copies other people have
  • Photographs can contain metadata revealing the location
  • Future employers or universities may see it

Model answer. The first reason is that once a photograph is posted you lose control of it. Anyone who can see it can screenshot it and share it anywhere, and deleting your original post does nothing about the copies that other people already have, so the picture may still exist years later. The second reason is that photographs can reveal more than you intend. Phones store metadata inside the image file, which often includes the exact GPS coordinates of where the picture was taken, so a photograph posted publicly can tell a stranger precisely where you live or where you are right now. Beyond both of these, universities and employers do look at what people have posted publicly, so a photograph posted at fourteen can still be found at twenty two.