icon-background-square
New
New
Year 6

Power in the online space

I can describe where power comes from online and explain how I can use my power online.

icon-background-square
New
New
Year 6

Power in the online space

I can describe where power comes from online and explain how I can use my power online.

warning

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. People can use their power to influence others online.
  2. Power comes from popularity, status, money and fame.
  3. People behave differently in the online space.
  4. People have the power to pretend to be someone they are not online.
  5. We have the power to protect or harm each other online.

Keywords

  • Power - in this context, having the ability to control or influence others

  • Influence - the effect that somebody has on the way a person thinks or behaves

  • Popular - how liked or admired someone is

  • Status - how respected someone is because of things they own or do

  • Anonymous - unknown, with a hidden identity

Common misconception

Children are powerless online.

Children actually have a lot of power online: the power to say no, to turn off their digital device, to take screenshots, to report, to block and to tell trusted adults and the police.


To help you plan your year 6 rshe (pshe) lesson on: Power in the online space, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Remind pupils that most social media sites are for people aged 13+. It may be appropriate to discuss with pupils the different situations that may arise online which should be reported to a trusted adult, and which situations should also be reported to the police.
speech-bubble
Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

content-guidance

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of upsetting content
  • Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying
supervision-level

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Loading...

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the words to the definition.
Correct Answer:peer pressure,when people try to persuade or force you to do something
tick

when people try to persuade or force you to do something

Correct Answer:social media,websites and apps used to share words and images with other people
tick

websites and apps used to share words and images with other people

Correct Answer:relationship,the connection between people
tick

the connection between people

Q2.
What does it mean to 'share' online?
to change someone's mind
Correct answer: to send or post words, sounds, images or videos online
to accept an online friend request
to influence someone’s emotions to make them do something
Q3.
Who is an online stranger?
someone we can trust
someone we know offline
Correct answer: someone we do not know offline
someone we know online and offline
Q4.
An is someone famous or trying to be famous through posting online.
Correct Answer: influencer
Q5.
Which of these statements are true?
Correct answer: People might try to manipulate us online.
It is safe to share all personal information online.
Correct answer: Choosing who to trust online is an important decision.
Children are not allowed to use the Internet.
Q6.
Influencing someone’s emotions to make them do something is called .
Correct Answer: manipulation

5 Questions

Q1.
Match the words to the definition.
Correct Answer:power,in this context, having the ability to control or influence others
tick

in this context, having the ability to control or influence others

Correct Answer:influence,the effect that somebody has on the way a person thinks or behaves
tick

the effect that somebody has on the way a person thinks or behaves

Correct Answer:anonymous,unknown, with a hidden identity
tick

unknown, with a hidden identity

Q2.
Power online often comes from popularity, , money and fame.
Correct Answer: status
Q3.
How can people use their power negatively online?
Correct answer: to pretend to be someone they're not
to become less popular
Correct answer: to discriminate against others
Q4.
Which statements are true?
Correct answer: People can use their power to influence others online.
Only adults have power online.
Correct answer: People may behave differently in the online space.
People can only use their power to harm others online.
Q5.
How should children use their power online?
Correct answer: to say no when they don't want to do something
to hurt other people's feelings
to make friends with online strangers
Correct answer: to block and report other accounts