Digital Consent: Your Body, Your Rules 📱

Week 18 Curriculum Note: Welcome to the final module in Unit 6: Personal Safety. Over the past two modules, you learned about recognizing grooming tactics and understanding sextortion. This module builds on those lessons by focusing on something at the heart of all of them: consent — especially when it comes to photos and your body online.

What Is Consent?

Consent means giving permission freely, without pressure. You already understand consent in everyday life:

• Asking before borrowing someone's stuff
• Checking if a friend wants a hug before hugging them
• Respecting when someone says "no" to playing a game

Consent online works exactly the same way — especially when it comes to photos and videos.

Your Body, Your Rules

Here's something really important to remember:

Your body belongs to you. No one has the right to take, ask for, or share photos of your body without your permission. And you should never feel pressured to share photos of yourself that make you uncomfortable.

This isn't just about photos that show a lot of skin. It applies to any photo or video of you:

• 😊 A silly photo a friend took of you
• 😬 An embarrassing moment someone caught on camera
• 🤳 A selfie you sent to one person privately
• 📸 A photo from a sleepover or party

ALL of these require your permission before someone shares them with others.

The Three Rules of Photo Consent

Rule 1: Ask Before You Snap 📸

Before taking a photo or video of someone else, ask them first. Even if you think it's funny or harmless, they might not want that photo taken.

Say: "Hey, can I take a photo of us?" or "Is it okay if I record this?"

Rule 2: Ask Before You Share 📤

Just because someone let you take a photo doesn't mean they said you could share it. Always ask before posting or sending someone else's photo.

Say: "Is it cool if I post this?" or "Can I send this to the group chat?"

Rule 3: Respect the "No" — And the "Changed My Mind" 🛑

Consent can be taken back at any time. If someone says:

• "Actually, can you delete that?"
• "I don't want that posted anymore."
• "Please take that down."

You should respect their wishes, even if you already posted it. Take it down. Delete it. That's what a good friend does.

What About Photos of YOUR Body?

Sometimes people — even people your age — might ask you to share photos of your body, or photos where you're not fully dressed. Here's what you need to know:

• You never have to share these kinds of photos. Ever.
• A real friend would never pressure you to share photos that make you uncomfortable.
• If someone asks and won't stop, that's not okay — and you should tell a trusted adult.
• If you've already shared a photo and regret it, that's okay too. It's not your fault if someone uses it to hurt you. Tell a trusted adult — they can help.

Why This Matters

When someone shares a photo without permission, it can:

• Make the person in the photo feel embarrassed, anxious, or unsafe
• Damage friendships and trust
• Spread further than anyone expected — you can't un-share a photo
• Sometimes even break laws designed to protect people

Your Consent Checklist ✅

Before sharing ANY photo of another person, ask yourself:

1. ✅ Did I ask if I could take this photo?
2. ✅ Did I ask if I could share it?
3. ✅ Would this person be happy seeing this posted?
4. ✅ Would I be okay if someone shared this kind of photo of ME?

If the answer to any of these is "no" — don't share it.

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Key Takeaway: Consent means asking permission and respecting the answer — including "I changed my mind." Your body is yours, and everyone deserves to control what photos of them exist online.