Class exercises for social media

 generated by CoPilot

That’s a great topic for freshmen—very close to their lived experience. Here are three fun, low-prep class exercises that reliably spark energy andthoughtful ethical discussion. You could do any one in a single class period, or combine bits of two.

 

1. “Post or Pass?” Ethics Speed-Round

Why it works:
It feels like a game, surfaces gray areas fast, and gets even quiet students participating.

How it works

1. Put students in small groups (3–4).
   
2. Project or hand out a series of short scenarios. For each one, groups must quickly decide:
• Post
  
• Share with limits (close friends, private account, anonymized)
  
• Do not post
  
3. After each scenario, poll the room (hands or quick digital poll) and ask one group to justify their choice.
   

Sample scenarios

• You took a funny photo of a friend passed out at a party.
  
• You’re angry at a professor and want to tweet about it.
  
• You receive screenshots of a classmate’s private DMs.
  
• You’re applying for internships and want to share political views.
  
• You’re tagged in a post you didn’t know was public.
  

Discussion prompts

• Who is harmed or helped by this post?
  
• Does consent matter if it’s “just a joke”?
  
• How do imagined audiences differ from actual audiences?
  
• Should ethical responsibility change if a platform encourages sharing?
  

Instructor tip:
Don’t correct answers—highlight disagreement. Tension = good discussion.

 

2. The “Invisible Audience” Thought Experiment

Why it works:
It reveals how little control users actually have, without sounding preachy.

How it works

1. Ask students to write (privately) about one thing they’ve posted that felt “safe.”
   
2. Reveal a list of potential audiences that could see or access that post:
• Employer or admissions officer
  
• Platform algorithm
  
• Data broker
  
• A stranger years later
  
• The government
  
3. Put students into pairs and have them answer:
• Would you still post this if all those audiences were guaranteed?
  

Extend the discussion

Ask:

• Is privacy about secrecy, control, or context?
  
• Is it ethical for platforms to profit from personal data users don’t fully understand?
  
• At what point does “sharing” become coerced rather than chosen?
  

Connection to writing:
This naturally leads into concepts like audience awareness and rhetorical context.

 

3. Ethics Trial: “The Platform vs. the User”

Why it works:
It’s playful, but forces students to articulate ethical principles clearly.

How it works

1. Split the class into three groups:
• Users
  
• Social Media Company
  
• Ethics Jury
  
2. Present a case, for example:
   A social media platform collects and sells location data from users who technically agreed in the Terms of Service.
   
   
3. Users argue the practice is unethical. 
   The company defends it. 
   The jury decides and explains why.
   

Guiding questions

• Is consent meaningful if the terms are unreadable?
  
• Where does responsibility lie: user choice or corporate design?
  
• Should legality and ethics be treated as the same?
  

Optional twist:
Midway through, reveal new information (e.g., data used by law enforcement, advertisers targeting vulnerable groups).

 

Reflection Prompt (Great for tying to essays)

End class with a quick write:

 

“Has this discussion changed how you think about privacy or sharing online? If so, how—and who should be responsible for ethical behavior on social media?”

========

more sample scenarios:

 

Absolutely—here’s a big, varied bank of short, discussion‑friendly scenarios you can drop straight into a “Post or Pass?” activity, ethics debate, or quick-write. I’ve grouped them by theme so you can mix and match.

 

A. Friends, Consent, and Social Pressure

1. You record a friend singing badly in the car. It’s funny, but they didn’t ask to be filmed.
   
2. A group photo from a party includes someone who told you they’re trying to keep a low online presence.
   
3. Your friend sends you a private rant about another student. You’re tempted to screenshot it and share it.
   
4. You tag a friend in a post that shows them breaking campus rules.
   
5. You post a “throwback” photo of a friend from high school they now find embarrassing.
   

Discussion angle:
Does affection excuse sharing? Who “owns” a moment?

 

B. Academic, Professional, and Institutional Contexts

1. You tweet frustration about a class that feels unfair, naming the course but not the professor.
   
2. You post a TikTok complaining about campus dining staff.
   
3. You share your grades to motivate yourself and others.
   
4. You’re proud of an essay and post screenshots of it online.
   
5. You want to post a meme about academic burnout during finals week.
   

Discussion angle:
How public should institutional critique be? When does venting become harm?

 

C. Politics, Identity, and Beliefs

1. You post strong political opinions on an account followed by classmates and future employers.
   
2. You share news without checking the source because it aligns with your beliefs.
   
3. You post about your religious beliefs in response to a controversial event.
   
4. You “like” a post that criticizes a social group—others can see it.
   
5. You stay silent online during a major social issue to protect your privacy.
   

Discussion angle:
Is silence a form of self-protection or ethical avoidance?

 

D. Visibility, Algorithms, and Platforms

1. You join a viral trend without realizing your account is public.
   
2. A platform “resurfaces” an old post from years ago—do you delete it or leave it?
   
3. You use a platform knowing it collects and sells user data.
   
4. You carefully curate your profile to appear happier or more successful than you are.
   
5. You receive an ad that clearly reveals the platform is tracking personal behavior.
   

Discussion angle:
Is ethical responsibility shared between users and platforms—or uneven?

 

E. Emotional Moments and Mental Health

1. You post while angry and consider deleting it later.
   
2. You share a vague but emotional post hoping someone notices.
   
3. You post about a difficult mental health experience.
   
4. You see a classmate oversharing personal struggles online—do you engage, ignore, or report?
   
5. You post a “cry for help” that gets attention you didn’t expect.
   

Discussion angle:
When does sharing become vulnerability vs. exploitation?

 

F. Safety, Harm, and Risk

1. You post your live location at a crowded event.
   
2. You post an image showing your dorm room and schedule.
   
3. You share a story involving someone else’s trauma.
   
4. You repost a video mocking someone who doesn’t know they’re being filmed.
   
5. You join a public argument that escalates into harassment.
   

Discussion angle:
Is intent or outcome more important ethically?

 

G. Private vs. “Private”

1. You post in a “private” group with 200 members.
   
2. You send something via disappearing messages.
   
3. You assume DMs are truly private.
   
4. You trust a platform’s privacy settings—but don’t check them.
   
5. You share something jokingly that gets copied and reposted elsewhere.
   

Discussion angle:
Does digital privacy actually exist—or just degrees of exposure?

 

H. Power, Status, and Influence

1. You have a lot of followers—does that change your responsibility?
   
2. A popular student posts something harmful; fewer people criticize them.
   
3. An influencer apologizes and deletes a post—ethical or strategic?
   
4. You amplify a post knowing it will bring negative attention to someone.
   
5. You benefit socially from sharing content that harms someone else.
   

Discussion angle:
How does power alter ethics in digital spaces?

 

Quick Wrap‑Up Prompt (Optional)

Ask students:

 

“Which scenario felt hardest to decide? What does that tell us about ethical ambiguity online?”