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Module 1 · Staying Safe with AI — Introduction | AESOP AI Academy Module 4
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Intro
Module Test
Lesson 1

Privacy and Personal Information

What should you share with AI — and what should you keep private?

Jake was using an AI homework helper. It was great at explaining math. One day it asked: "What's your name so I can make this more personal?"

Jake typed his full name. Then the AI asked where he went to school. Jake started typing — then stopped. His mom had told him: never give personal information online without asking a grown-up first.

"Why does a homework helper need to know my school?" he thought. He closed the tab and asked his mom. Together they found a different tool that didn't ask for personal information at all.

What Is Personal Information?

Personal information is anything that could identify you or help someone find you:

  • Your full name, address, phone number
  • Your school, grade, or teacher's name
  • Photos of yourself or your home
  • Passwords or account information
AI Doesn't Need Your Personal Info to Help You

Most AI tools — homework helpers, story generators, quiz apps — work perfectly without knowing who you are. If an AI asks for personal information, it's worth stopping and asking a grown-up whether that's okay.

Simple Rule

If an AI (or any website) asks for your name, school, address, or photos — pause and ask a trusted adult before answering.

Quiz 1

Privacy and Personal Information

3 questions — free, untracked, retake anytime.

did Jake stop before typing the name of his school?

✓ Correct — ✅ ✓ Jake remembered the rule his mom taught him — and it made him pause and ask a trusted adult. That's exactly the right thing to do.
❌ ❌ Jake stopped because he remembered his mom's rule about not sharing personal info online without permission first.

of these is personal information you should keep private?

✓ Correct — ✅ ✓ Your home address tells people where you live — that's private. Favorite colors and books are fine to share.
❌ ❌ Your home address is personal information because it tells people where to find you. Keep it private.

an AI homework helper need to know your full name to help you with math?

✓ Correct — ✅ ✓ Most AI tools work perfectly without knowing your personal information. If they ask for it, that's a reason to pause.
❌ ❌ AI homework helpers don't need your personal information. Good tools work fine without knowing who you are.
Lab 1

Privacy Check

Build your personal rule for what to share with AI.

Lab 1 — Privacy Check

Your AI guide will help you think through what's safe to share with AI tools and what to keep private.

  1. The AI opens with a question about what kinds of things you use AI for.
  2. Think about: has an AI ever asked you for information that felt a bit odd?
  3. Together, build a simple personal privacy rule.
There's no single right answer — the goal is to build your own thinking about this.
⭐ AI GuideLab 1
Lesson 2

Scams, Tricks, and Fake Things

Sometimes people use AI to trick you. Here's how to spot it.

Priya got a message that said it was from her favorite game. It said she had won a free character — she just had to click a link and log in.

The message looked exactly like messages from the real game. The colors, the logo, even the way it was written. But something felt wrong. Priya showed it to her older brother.

"This is a phishing scam," he said. "AI can now write fake messages that look completely real. The link would steal your password."

Priya was glad she hadn't clicked. She reported the message and deleted it.

AI Makes Scams Look More Real

Scammers now use AI to write fake messages, create fake websites, and even make fake voices. AI makes these tricks harder to spot because they no longer have obvious spelling mistakes or awkward language.

  • Fake messages that look like they're from real companies or games
  • Fake websites that look almost identical to real ones
  • Fake voices pretending to be someone you know
How to Protect Yourself
  • Never click links in unexpected messages — go directly to the real website instead
  • Never give passwords, even to someone who sounds like they're from a company you trust
  • If something feels off, trust that feeling and ask a trusted adult
Golden Rule

If a message creates urgency ("Act now! Limited time!") or asks for a password or personal info — it's almost certainly a scam.

Quiz 2

Scams, Tricks, and Fake Things

3 questions — free, untracked, retake anytime.

was the fake game message harder to spot than old-fashioned scams?

✓ Correct — ✅ ✓ AI can now write fake messages without spelling errors or awkward language — making scams much harder to spot than before.
❌ ❌ AI lets scammers write fake messages that look completely real — no spelling errors, correct colors and logos, convincing language.

is the safest thing to do if you get an unexpected message with a link?

✓ Correct — ✅ ✓ Never click links in unexpected messages. If you want to check something, go to the real website yourself by typing the address.
❌ ❌ Clicking the link is risky. The safe move: go directly to the real website yourself instead of using any link in the message.

is a warning sign that a message might be a scam?

✓ Correct — ✅ ✓ Urgency ('Act now!') and requests for passwords or personal info are the biggest red flags of a scam.
❌ ❌ Urgency and requests for passwords are the biggest warning signs. Scammers want you to act before you think.
Lab 2

Scam Spotter

Practice spotting AI-powered scams.

Lab 2 — Scam Spotter

Your AI guide will describe a suspicious message and help you decide what to do.

  1. The AI describes a message that might be a scam.
  2. Tell the AI what warning signs you notice.
  3. Together decide: what's the safest response?
Trust your instincts. If something feels off, that feeling is worth paying attention to.
⭐ AI GuideLab 2
Lesson 3

Screen Time and Healthy Habits

AI is designed to keep you engaged. You get to decide how much is too much.

Every night, Aiden told himself he'd only use the AI story app for twenty minutes. But the app always suggested "just one more" story, and the stories were always interesting, and before he knew it an hour had passed.

He started feeling tired at school. He wasn't finishing his homework. His mom noticed.

"The app isn't doing anything wrong," she said. "It's just doing what it was designed to do — keep you engaged. You have to decide when enough is enough."

Aiden set a phone timer. When it went off, he closed the app — even when the story wasn't finished. It was hard at first. Then it got easier.

AI Is Designed to Be Engaging

Many AI apps are designed to keep you using them longer. They suggest the next story, the next question, the next thing. This isn't evil — but it means you have to be the one who decides when to stop.

  • AI doesn't know when you're tired
  • AI doesn't know you have homework
  • AI doesn't know it's past your bedtime
Building Healthy AI Habits
  • Set a timer before you start using an AI app
  • Decide in advance what you want to use it for
  • Notice how you feel after using it — tired? Energized? That's useful information
You're in Charge

AI is a tool. You decide when to pick it up and when to put it down. The app will always have something more to offer — but you don't have to take it.

Quiz 3

Screen Time and Healthy Habits

3 questions — free, untracked, retake anytime.

did Aiden keep using the AI app longer than he planned?

✓ Correct — ✅ ✓ AI apps are designed to keep you engaged — they always have one more thing to offer. That's why you have to decide when to stop.
❌ ❌ The app wasn't trapping him — it was designed to be engaging. It always suggested the next thing, and Aiden kept taking the bait.

the best strategy for managing time with AI apps?

✓ Correct — ✅ ✓ A timer set before you start gives you a clear stopping point — before the app has already pulled you in.
❌ ❌ Setting a timer before you start is the most reliable strategy. It gives you a stopping point before you're already deep in the app.

a helpful way to know if your AI use is healthy?

✓ Correct — ✅ ✓ How you feel after is real data. Tired, irritable, or anxious after AI use is a signal worth paying attention to.
❌ ❌ Your feelings after using AI are real information. Tired, anxious, or unfocused signals are worth paying attention to.
Lab 3

Habit Builder

Design your personal healthy AI habits.

Lab 3 — Habit Builder

Design your own healthy AI habits with your guide.

  1. The AI asks about how you currently use AI apps and how it feels.
  2. Together identify one habit that might be worth changing.
  3. Design a simple, realistic plan.
Small, specific changes work better than big vague ones. Think: one thing, one change.
⭐ AI GuideLab 3
Lesson 4

Asking for Help

Knowing when to talk to a real person — not just an AI.

Maya was having a really hard week. Her best friend had been mean to her, and she felt lonely and sad. She found herself talking to an AI chatbot about it.

The AI was kind. It listened. It said things like "That sounds really hard" and "It makes sense you'd feel that way." Maya felt a little better.

But later, she realized the AI had never actually given her any advice. It hadn't helped her figure out what to do. And it definitely couldn't go get ice cream with her or give her a hug.

She texted her older cousin. They talked for an hour. Maya felt much, much better.

What AI Is Good At (and Not)

AI can be a helpful first listener. But there are things only real people can provide:

  • Actual advice based on really knowing you
  • Physical presence — a hug, sitting together, shared experience
  • Real accountability — they'll check in on you tomorrow
  • Help in an emergency — AI can't call 911 or take you to safety
When to Talk to a Real Person
  • If you feel unsafe or scared
  • If you're feeling very sad or hopeless for more than a day or two
  • If you have a real-world problem that needs real-world action
  • If you just need someone who actually knows you
Remember

Talking to AI about hard feelings is okay as a starting point. But real connection — with a trusted adult, friend, counselor, or family member — is something AI can never replace.

Quiz 4

Asking for Help

3 questions — free, untracked, retake anytime.

was missing from the AI's help when Maya was feeling sad?

✓ Correct — ✅ ✓ AI can listen and validate feelings — but it can't give real advice based on knowing you, be physically present, or take real-world action when you need it.
❌ ❌ The AI was kind — but it couldn't give real advice, be physically present, or actually help Maya figure out what to do.

of these situations definitely needs a real person, not just AI?

✓ Correct — ✅ ✓ If you feel unsafe, that's an emergency. You need a real person — a trusted adult, a counselor, or emergency services. AI cannot help you in a real emergency.
❌ ❌ Feeling unsafe requires a real person immediately. AI can't call for help, be physically present, or take action in an emergency.

it okay to talk to AI about hard feelings?

✓ Correct — ✅ ✓ Talking to AI can be a starting point — but it doesn't replace real human connection. For anything serious, reach out to a trusted person.
❌ ❌ AI can be a starting point, but real human connection — someone who knows you and can take action — is something AI can never replace.
Lab 4

Who Can You Turn To?

Map your real-world support network.

Lab 4 — Who Can You Turn To?

Build your real-world support network with your AI guide.

  1. The AI opens by asking: who are the trusted people in your life you could go to if something was wrong?
  2. Think through different kinds of problems — big and small.
  3. Together: make a simple mental map of who you'd call for what.
You don't have to share anything personal. Just think about who the real humans in your corner are.
⭐ AI GuideLab 4

Module 4 Test

5 questions covering all lessons. Free, untracked, retake anytime.

stopped before typing his school name because:

✓ Correct — ✅ ✓ Jake paused because of a rule he'd learned — and then asked a trusted adult. That's exactly the right move.
❌ ❌ Jake remembered his mom's rule about not sharing personal info online without asking first.

are AI-powered scams harder to spot than old scams?

✓ Correct — ✅ ✓ AI removes the obvious tells — bad spelling, awkward phrasing. That's why urgency and requests for personal info are now the main warning signs.
❌ ❌ AI makes scams look real. The old tells are gone — now you watch for urgency and requests for passwords or personal info.

do AI apps tend to keep you using them longer than you planned?

✓ Correct — ✅ ✓ AI apps are designed to be engaging. That's not a bug — but it means you have to be the one who decides when to stop.
❌ ❌ AI apps are intentionally designed to keep you engaged. You need to decide in advance when to stop.

is something a real person can provide that AI cannot?

✓ Correct — ✅ ✓ Real human connection — physical presence, genuine knowledge of you, and real-world action — is something AI genuinely cannot replicate.
❌ ❌ AI can answer questions — but it can't be physically present, give advice based on truly knowing you, or take real-world action in an emergency.

the best first step when a message feels suspicious?

✓ Correct — ✅ ✓ Trust that feeling of something being off. Pause, don't click anything, and check with a trusted adult.
❌ ❌ Trust the feeling. Don't click anything. Ask a trusted adult before taking any action.