Digital Risk Literacy

What digital risk literacy is, who it affects, and what a child should learn — a free entry from the Digital Guardians Threat Dictionary.

Target age range: 9–12 years (upper elementary and middle-schoolers).

Learning objective: Children will learn to recognize common online risks – such as scams, misinformation, and unsafe content – and develop skills to verify information and protect their privacy. By the end of this module, they can think critically about what they see online, avoid “too good to be true” schemes, and make safer choices (e.g. checking sources before sharing content).

Threat definition

Digital risk literacy refers to the knowledge and skills needed to stay safe online. Without it, children are vulnerable to misinformation, phishing, and scams. In other words, digital risk literacy is the ability to identify and manage online dangers so that one can use technology safely. It involves knowing that not everything on the internet is true or safe. For example, online pop-up ads or “free prize” offers may actually be scams designed to steal information. Young people also face false news and clickbait; children should learn to avoid clickbait/pop-ups that could lead to pornography or fraud.

How Easily Kids Get Tricked

A Kaspersky study found that 26% of children reported falling victim to a phishing scam (fraudulent emails or websites), illustrating how easy it is to be tricked without vigilance.

The full chapter is in Pillar 1: Awareness & Foundations and the Complete Edition.