← Years 9–10 Data & Information

Privacy by design for a student solution

Building privacy into a solution from the start: collect minimal data, use anonymous IDs, make settings private by default and plan how data will be deleted.

Part of: 9-10 Digital Technologies: Data privacy and the Australian Privacy Principles — Module 23, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8 — Digital Footprints and Data Minimisation — Module 55, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 9–10 — Privacy Principles and Digital Footprints — Module 41, WA Computer Science ATAR Year 11 — Cyber Security — Module 175

Understanding Privacy by design for a student solution in Years 9–10 Data & Information

What it does: Setting a deletion time in the design means data is not kept forever, which is the data deletion plan sub-theme. The app only collects a nickname and a score and nothing extra such as an address, so it collects minimal data. Privacy by design means planning for privacy from the start of a project, not fixing it later. Private by default means the safest option is already switched on. Users can choose to share more if they want to. Anonymous IDs let the system work without storing names. This lowers the risk if the data is ever leaked. Names identify people, so privacy by design uses anonymous IDs that do not reveal who someone is.

Common mistakes: A data deletion plan means the data is deleted after the set time. The last line should be delete_after(keep_days), not keep_forever. Privacy by design means settings are private by default. The visible setting should be 'private', not 'public'.

Class: _____________________ · Name: _____________________ · Date: _________

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 83–132) and word search (Modules 6–132).

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Learning

Duo

Which describes privacy by design?

Adding privacy settings after the app is finishedBuilding privacy into a solution from the very start

Matches

profile_visibility = "public"

↓

New accounts start as public, so students' info is shared before they choose. Private by default means the setting should be "private".

Applying

Meanings

Term

privacy by design

Meaning

Building privacy into a solution from the start: collect minimal data, use anonymous IDs, make settings private by default and plan how data will be deleted.

Practice

BEGIN SignUp

Testing

Gaps

SET profileVisibility TO

Check Answer

Spots

3keep_days = 90

4keep_forever(keep_days)

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Quick Questions

1. Which describes privacy by design?

A. Building privacy into a solution from the very start ✓

B. Adding privacy settings after the app is finished

Privacy by design means planning for privacy from the start of a project, not fixing it later.

2. A student builds a quiz app for their class. Which setting follows privacy by design?

A. Scores are public by default, and students must turn sharing off

B. Scores are private by default, and students choose to share them ✓

Private by default means the safest option is already switched on. Users can choose to share more if they want to.

3. Your app needs to track which student borrowed a library book. Which is the better way to identify students?

A. Use an anonymous ID such as S-4821 ✓

B. Store each student's full name and home address

Anonymous IDs let the system work without storing names. This lowers the risk if the data is ever leaked.

4. Which is a data deletion plan?

A. Deleting survey responses 30 days after the project ends ✓

B. Keeping all survey responses forever just in case

A deletion plan says when and how data will be removed. Data you no longer need is a risk to keep.

5. You are designing a sign-up form for a school sports club app. Which form follows privacy by design?

A. Ask for name, birthday, address and phone number just in case

B. Ask only for first name and year level ✓

Privacy by design starts with collecting minimal data. Only ask for what the solution really needs.

Match the Pairs

profile_visibility = "private" → Private by default: new accounts start with the most private setting, and users choose to share more

student_id = "S4821" → An anonymous ID is stored instead of the student's real name

A data deletion plan: records are removed automatically after the project ends → delete_after_days = 30

Privacy by design means collecting minimal data, so only the data the app needs is asked for → fields = ["nickname", "score"]

profile_visibility = "public" → New accounts start as public, so students' info is shared before they choose. Private by default means the setting should be "private".

player_id = "Mia Nguyen, 10B" → A real name and class are used as the ID. An anonymous ID like "P207" should be used instead.

Key Term

privacy by design

Building privacy into a solution from the start: collect minimal data, use anonymous IDs, make settings private by default and plan how data will be deleted.

Fill in the Blanks

1. SET profileVisibility TO PRIVATE

Hint: Type the visibility value that hides a new profile from other people until the user changes it.

2. SAVE anonymousID INSTEAD OF fullName

Hint: Type the variable name for the made-up identifier saved in place of the student's real name.

3. IF today > deleteDate THEN DELETE record

Hint: Type the keyword that removes the record once the planned date has passed, as part of the deletion plan.

4. shareLocation = FALSE

Hint: Type the Boolean value that keeps location sharing switched off until the user chooses to turn it on.

5. deleteDate = today + 30

Hint: Type the operator that moves the deletion date 30 days into the future.

Spot the Error

Question 1

A id = make_anon_id()

B profile = 'private'

C keep_days = 90

D keep_forever(keep_days)

Line D — A data deletion plan means the data is deleted after the set time. The last line should be delete_after(keep_days), not keep_forever.

Question 2

A user = {}

B user['id'] = new_anon_id()

C user['year'] = ask_year()

D user['visible'] = 'public'

Line D — Privacy by design means settings are private by default. The visible setting should be 'private', not 'public'.

Question 3

A def sign_up(nickname):

B id = make_anon_id()

C visible = True

D return id

Line C — New profiles should be private by default, so visible should start as False. Users can choose to share later.

Question 4

A collect(name, address)

B set_privacy('private')

C wait(keep_days)

D delete(anon_id)

Line A — Privacy by design collects minimal data and uses an anonymous ID. It should collect anon_id and year_level, not a name and address.

Question 5

A score = get_score()

B who = student_name

C save(who, score)

D delete_after(60)

Line B — Scores should be linked to an anonymous ID, not a real name. The line should be who = anon_id.

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