Internet & Identity · lesson 4 of 17 · 15 min
What is personal information?
Personal information is anything that can identify who you are, where you live, or how to contact you. Think of it like a puzzle — each piece on its own might seem harmless, but put enough pieces together and a stranger could find out exactly who you are and where you live.
Protecting your personal information online is one of the most important things you can do to stay safe. Once you share something on the internet, it can be very hard — sometimes impossible — to take it back.
Think of it like this: Your personal information is like your house key. You would not hand your house key to a stranger on the street — so do not hand your personal information to strangers online either!
What counts as personal information?
🔒 Always keep private
- Your full name
- Your home address
- Your phone number
- Your school name and location
- Your passwords
- Photos of yourself or your home
- Your date of birth
- Your parents’ names
✅ Generally okay to share
- Your favourite colour
- A hobby you enjoy
- Your favourite book or movie
- A nickname you chose yourself
- Your favourite sport
- A fun fact about yourself
Why do strangers want your personal information?
Most people online are kind and honest — but some are not. People with bad intentions might try to collect your personal information to:
Find out where you live Your address tells them exactly where to find you in real life. Pretend to be you Using your information to create fake accounts or steal your identity. Trick you or your family Using what they know about you to make scams more convincing.
The puzzle piece rule
Even sharing small pieces of information can be dangerous when combined. Imagine someone knows your first name, your school, and the sport you play. That might be enough for them to find you in real life.
This is called the puzzle piece rule: each piece of information you share is one more piece of the puzzle. The more pieces a stranger has, the easier it is for them to find you.
Rule to remember: When in doubt, leave it out. If you are not sure whether something is safe to share, do not share it — ask a trusted adult first.
Key words to remember
- Personal information
- Privacy
- Identity
- Puzzle piece rule
Personal or not personal? Match each item
Personal information — quiz
Which of these is personal information you should keep private?
- Your favourite colour
- Your home address
- Your favourite sport
- A book you like
Answer: Your home address
Your home address tells strangers exactly where you live — always keep it private.
Someone online asks for your school name. What should you do?
- Tell them — it’s not a big deal
- Ask a trusted adult before sharing
- Give a fake school name
- Share your address instead
Answer: Ask a trusted adult before sharing
Your school name is personal information. Always check with a trusted adult before sharing it.
Once you share something online, you can always delete it completely.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Once something is shared online, it can be copied, saved, or shared by others. It is very hard — sometimes impossible — to remove completely.
What is the “puzzle piece rule”?
- A rule about sharing puzzle games online
- Each piece of information you share adds to a puzzle that strangers can use to find you
- A rule about keeping passwords secret
- A rule about not sharing photos
Answer: Each piece of information you share adds to a puzzle that strangers can use to find you
Even small pieces of information can be dangerous when combined. The more pieces a stranger has, the easier it is for them to find you.
Which of these is generally okay to share online?
- Your home address
- Your phone number
- Your favourite book
- Your school name
Answer: Your favourite book
Your favourite book does not identify where you live or how to contact you — it is generally safe to share.
Your date of birth is personal information.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Your date of birth is personal information that can be used to identify you or access your accounts. Keep it private.
Why might a stranger online want your personal information?
- To send you birthday cards
- To find out where you live or trick you
- To help you with homework
- To recommend good websites
Answer: To find out where you live or trick you
People with bad intentions collect personal information to find you in real life, pretend to be you, or make scams more convincing.
What should you do if you are not sure whether something is safe to share?
- Share it and see what happens
- Ask a trusted adult first
- Share it with just one person
- Guess and share it anyway
Answer: Ask a trusted adult first
When in doubt, leave it out — and ask a trusted adult. It is always better to be safe.
Which of these is like your personal information?
- A library book anyone can borrow
- Your house key — only for trusted people
- A poster on a public wall
- A song on the radio
Answer: Your house key — only for trusted people
Your personal information is like your house key. You would not give it to a stranger, so do not share it with strangers online.
Sharing your first name AND your school name together is more risky than sharing just your first name.
- True
- False
Answer: True
This is the puzzle piece rule. Each extra piece of information makes it easier for a stranger to find you. Combined information is more dangerous.
Previous lesson: Safe vs. unsafe places online
Back to Internet & Identity
Next lesson: Safe vs. unsafe sharing