Let’s Get Social Exploring the World of Social Media - Part 2
Let’s Get Social: Exploring the World of Social Media
(Continued)
Adam Hurrell
Digital Transformation Training Consultant
12th February 2026
Items in this lesson
Let’s Get Social: Exploring the World of Social Media
(Continued)
Adam Hurrell
Digital Transformation Training Consultant
12th February 2026
Tea!
Discussions & Interactions
Positive feedback regarding my teaching (Thank you 😊)
Notable feedback from last week’s workshop:
Class members repeatedly talking over each other
Not enough practical
Notable feedback from last week’s workshop:
We will cover these in Week 3!
Saving & Creating files
File management
Emails (Attaching files & downloading files)
Utilising AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Topics you wish to explore:
Difficulty using the Keyboard & Mouse?
Mouse – Left Click
When someone refers to a click, they almost always mean a left click. The left click is the primary click.
You can use a left click to:
Select items
Open files or folders
Click buttons on websites
You can perform a left click on a buttonless tracker by:
Tapping it with your index finger
Pressing it with your index finger within the area highlighted in red in the image (Although it’s recommended to do it within the area highlighted in yellow)
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
Keyboard – Important Keys
If you wish to type a character or number on the keyboard you simply press the appropriate key. Below are some important keys
Enter (or Return) - Starts a new line in a document. Often used to submit forms or commands.
Backspace - Deletes the character to the left of the cursor. Useful for fixing typing mistakes.
Shift - Used to type capital letters and symbols (like @ or !). Hold Shift and press a letter to make it uppercase.
Caps Lock - Turns capital letters on or off. Press once to type in all caps; press again to return to lowercase.
Relaxed, informal workshop – no pressure
Ask questions any time (As long as you don’t interrupt anyone 😊)
Group discussions and sharing ideas
Group tasks to try out
Short 15-minute break midway
Today’s workshop:
Digital Workshops
Negatives and risks
How to minimise risks
By the end of this workshop:
Social Media
“A website or service where people can connect with other people. This can be with people who have similar interests or friends”
Week 1 - Refresher
Week 1 – Refresher (Examples of Social Media)
Week 1 – Refresher (Messengers)
Social Media Risks
What platforms you use and why
The benefits of Social Media (Individual, Groups & Business)
Introduced Social Media Risks
Week 1 - Refresher
Personal Risks (Overview)
Even personal accounts carry risks — your digital footprint lasts forever.
Privacy & Data Exposure
Cyberbullying & Harassment
Reputation Damage
Phishing & Scams
Addiction & Mental Health
Fake Identities (Catfishing)
Misinformation & Manipulation
Employment Consequences
Group Discussion on Negative Experiences
Fake News or Real News?
The song artist Bad Bunny who recently performed at the American Super Bowl has burned the USA flag in the past
True
False
The US Military is recruiting sea creatures to help track enemy activity
True
False
Half of all teenagers in The UK are exposed to Conspiracy Theories
True
False
Cracking your knuckles gives you Arthritis
True
False
Personal Risks (Examples)
Privacy Breach: Posting location or holidays makes you vulnerable to scams or theft.
Cyberbullying: Negative comments and trolling can affect wellbeing.
Digital Footprint: Deleted posts may still exist and affect job prospects/reputation
Phishing: Clicking fake links or “giveaway” posts can steal your data.
Personal Information
3rd party selling
PII (Personally Identifiable Information)
Doxing
Anonymity
Personal Information
Your information can be sold to third parties such as your Postcode, Race, Gender, DOB, Place of Birth, Religion etc.
Personally Identifiable Information can be collected such as your full name and mailing address.
Hacking
Unauthorised access
Groups / individual
Targeted / passive
Exploiting a vulnerably in system, platform, network, website or device
Steal / manipulate information
Criminal activity
Hacking
Majority of the time when people claimed they have been “hacked” they haven’t.
Hacking is where people use exploits to gain unauthorised access to specific platforms, or your device.
This can be done by an individual, or as a group, in which they target specific organisations or individuals.
Hacking
Theses attacks also come in two forms in which they are so aggressive that the user becomes aware of what has happened immediately, or they can be passive which aren’t disruptive and are more covert in which a hacker can collect information undetected.
Hackers tend to cause as much disruption and destruction as possible, steal or manipulate information, or install ransomware onto devices where they demand a specific amount of money to prevent all files from being deleted.
Hacking
When information is stolen, it tends to be sold online within the dark web for as little as £1 (Credit Card information) using cryptocurrencies.
Scams
Fake friends and phishing links
Free app downloads – harvest personal information
Quizzes/Questionnaires links (which character are you) – 3rd party information gathering
Secret question prompts
Scams
Be very vigilant of any scams such as if your friend who you are already friends with on a Social Media Platform sends you a friend request from their new account and particularly if they send you a link with no context as if you click on these links, they can covertly install applications on your device and harvest personal information.
Scams
Try not to take part in any Quizzes/Questionnaires unless you absolutely trust them as your answers can be used to gather information about you.
Secret prompts such as what is your mother’s maiden name is. Where were you born? What is your favourite book?
Group Activity - Spot the Risk
15
minute
00
second
Spot the Risk - Group 1
Spot the Risk - Group 2
Spot the Risk - Group 3
Spot the Risk - Group 4
Matt has many online accounts; from social media, shopping, banking, streaming services and more.
Matt uses a few passwords for all these accounts, but mainly he uses:
HarryPotter86
Why is this a problem?
During 2020 EE was hacked in which user data and PII was leaked and sold on the dark web.
Matts EE account information was released:
Email: mattexample@gmail.com
Password: HarryPotter86
It’s now possible for anyone in possession of matts user credentials to use this combination to try and access popular accounts and platforms online.
Password
Managers
Passwords (iOS) - Passwords App - App Store
Google Passwords Manager - Password Manager
Password Vault Software - LastPass Digital Vault
Mitigation Strategies
Limit Sharing: Be cautious about sharing personal information online. Only provide necessary details.
Privacy Settings: Adjust privacy settings on social media and other platforms to limit who can see your information.
Use Aliases: Consider using aliases or pseudonyms for non-essential accounts
Mitigation Strategies
Strong Passwords: Use strong, unique passwords for different accounts. Consider using a password manager.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Enable 2FA on all accounts to add an extra layer of security.
Regular Updates: Keep your software, apps, and devices updated to protect against vulnerabilities
Mitigation Strategies
Verify Requests: Verify friend requests and messages from known contacts before clicking on links.
Avoid Quizzes: Avoid participating in online quizzes and questionnaires unless you trust the source.
Be Sceptical: Be sceptical of unsolicited messages asking for personal information
Think Before You Post: Consider the potential visibility and impact of your posts and interactions online
Mitigation Strategies
Regular Checks: Regularly check haveibeenpwned.com to see if your accounts have been compromised.
Change Compromised Passwords: Immediately change passwords for any accounts that have been involved in data breaches
Restrict Access: Never allow anyone you don’t know to have access to your home network, never allow anyone to have access to your accounts or devices without your permission.
Social Media Profile Audit
Use it to reflect on how safe your profile is, what potential risks or vulnerabilities exist, and what could be improved to better protect your privacy, security, and wellbeing online
What is a common risk of social media use?
Increased face-to-face interaction
Cyberbullying
Privacy invasion
Enhanced creativity
How can you protect your privacy online?
Adjust privacy settings
Share personal information publicly
Ignore friend requests
Use strong passwords
What should you avoid sharing on social media?
Public events
Personal identification
General interests
Location details
What is a way to report abusive content?
Use the platform's reporting tools
Share it widely
Ignore the post
Contact the Police if appropriate
Negatives and risks of Social Media
How to minimise these risks
By the end of this workshop:
Thank you
Any Questions
Adam Hurrell
ahurrell@serc.ac.uk
