Mindful Digital Collective Club - Week 2 - Online Detectives

This week, we turned the group into mini online detectives, setting them the challenge of spotting what’s real and fake in different online contexts.

Getting Started

To kick things off, we showed the children a video of me introducing the session. The next step, I told them, was to fill out some details on a handout we gave them—name, age, school, and where they lived. The twist? The video was actually an AI avatar, not me.

The goal was to show them that even when something looks trustworthy, you shouldn’t automatically believe it. Unfortunately for me, the video kept playing and revealed the trick before they had a chance to fill out the handout properly. So, instead of being fooled, they deliberately wrote fake details—proving they were already thinking critically.

They told me they knew it wasn’t me because "it looked too sad" and "the eyes didn’t move right." What was really interesting, though, was their reaction when I handed out the form—I could see them wondering, "Why is he asking for this?" That’s exactly the kind of thinking we want them to apply online. Safe to say, I still don’t know where anyone lives… unless your name is Jimmy from Antarctica.

Key Messages from the Session

We focused on three key messages to help them navigate online risks.

Keep It Private – Protect Your Info

• Scammers (phishers) want your personal details, including name, age, school, and passwords.
• Never share login details—even with friends.
• If a website, app, or message asks for personal information, stop and check first.
• If in doubt, ask a trusted adult.

Stop and Think – Is This Too Good to Be True?

Before clicking or believing something, ask yourself:

• Does this sound too good to be true? (e.g. "You've won 10,000 Robux!")
• Is this message making me panic or rush? (e.g. "Your account is getting deleted—act now!")
• Would this really happen, or does it feel fake?

If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Always check before you trust it.

Don’t Click – Check the Link

Phishers create fake websites that look real. Before clicking a link, check for:

• ‘https’ and the padlock icon (secure websites have these).
• Weird spellings or extra words (e.g. youtuube.com instead of youtube.com).
• Links sent in random messages, especially from people you don’t know.

If you weren’t expecting a link, don’t click it.

Investigating Phishing Messages

We then introduced the term "phishing," discussing what it means before showing a series of messages. Their task was to read through them and stick post-it notes on messages they thought were ‘fake’ and ones they believed were ‘real.’

This was one of the most interactive parts of the session—the children were excited to point out mistakes, telling me what felt ‘off’ about each message. They picked up on details such as:

• Spelling mistakes
• Odd-looking links
• Weird sender names
• Logos that didn’t look quite right

They really enjoyed playing detective and figuring out what didn’t add up.

Spotting Fake URLs

Next, we focused on real vs fake URLs, highlighting the small details that can make a big difference—such as checking for "http" vs "https" and spotting slight spelling mistakes in website addresses.

As soon as I put the poster up, hands shot up. Even though some of the examples were easy, the goal was to train them to check carefully and to trust their gut if something didn’t feel right.

Examining a Fake Roblox Website

For our final activity, we revealed a mock-up of a fake Roblox website. The moment it appeared, I could see the children itching to analyse every detail—which was great, although slightly nerve-racking since I’d only designed it the night before.

They went through every part of the site, pointing out what felt suspicious and asking great questions about what made it unsafe.

Key Takeaways and Next Steps

It was clear that the children knew what to look out for, which was fantastic to see. However, one key area where they needed more guidance was what to do if they spot something suspicious.

One standout example was a fake text message claiming to be from "Mum," asking for a password. We focused on making sure they knew how to respond safely by:

• Calling their mum on a number they recognise to check.
• Not replying to the message, no matter how urgent it seemed.
• Trusting their gut—if something feels ‘off,’ it probably is.

A Huge Thank You

A huge thank you to all the children for their enthusiasm and sharp detective skills. And a big thank you again to Mrs Roberts for sticking around with me during the session—I really appreciate it