Lesson: Safe & Ethical Storytelling (Consent, Privacy, Respect)

Great storytellers protect people. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to tell powerful stories without causing harm—by using consent, privacy, and respectful representation every time you create.

What You’ll Learn

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Explain what consent means in storytelling (and what is not consent).
• Identify common privacy risks when filming/photographing/recording people.
• Apply a simple ethical checklist before you record, share, or publish content.
• Give respectful feedback to peers using a safe and supportive approach.

Key Ideas (Keep it simple)

1) Consent is not optional

Consent means someone understands what you’re doing and agrees freely.

• It should be clear (not forced)
• It should be informed (they know where it will be shared)
• It can be withdrawn (they can change their mind)

2) Privacy protects people

Even when a story is true, sharing sensitive details can put someone at risk.
Privacy includes:

• Names, faces, phone numbers
• School uniforms, name tags, IDs
• Home locations, landmarks near the home
• Health details, family conflict, legal issues

3) Respectful representation matters

Your story should not:

• shame, mock, stereotype, or expose someone
• show people in a way that removes dignity
• use someone’s pain only for entertainment (“poverty porn”)

4) Credit and copyright basics (quick)

If you didn’t create it, you must credit it or use safe sources (e.g., your own footage, free-to-use audio).

• Don’t use someone’s photo/video/audio without permission.
• How to Apply This in This Course
• Every week you create something (photo, audio, video, post).
  Before you submit, do a Consent + Privacy check (below).
  This helps your work stay powerful, safe, and professional.

Weekly Consent + Privacy Checklist (Use Every Week)

✅ A. Consent (People)

Tick “Yes” before you record or share:

• I clearly explained what I am creating (photo/audio/video/post).
• I explained where it will be shared (course group/LMS/exhibition/public).
• The person agreed freely (no pressure, no fear).
• The person knows they can say no or change their mind later.
• If the person is a child/minor, I got permission from a parent/guardian/teacher (where required).

✅ B. Privacy (Safety)

• I removed or avoided phone numbers, IDs, and private messages.
• I avoided showing exact home location or sensitive landmarks.
• I did not reveal sensitive details (health, legal issues, trauma) without permission.
• If needed, I protected identity (no face shown / blurred / filmed from behind / changed name / voice note without names).

✅ C. Respect (Dignity + Representation)

• My story does not shame, insult, or stereotype anyone.
• The person/community is represented with dignity and fairness.
• I asked myself: “If this was about me, would I feel respected?”

✅ D. Credits (Ownership)

• I used my own media OR used safe media and credited it.
• I have permission for any music, photos, or clips I didn’t create.

✅ E. Final Safety Question

• If this content spreads beyond the course, it will not put anyone at risk.
• Quick Practice (5–10 minutes)
• Choose any one item below and do a mini-check:

1. A photo you took recently
2. A short voice note you recorded
3. A social media post you shared

Answer:

• What consent did you get (or fail to get)?
• What privacy risk exists?
• What one change would make it safer?

Course Community Guidelines (for sharing safely)

When giving feedback, use this rule:

• Be kind, specific, and safe.
• Comment on the work, not the person.
• Avoid asking peers to reveal private information.
• If you notice a safety risk, say it respectfully:
  “This is powerful. Consider hiding/avoiding ____ to protect privacy.”

Submit / Save for Your Records

• Before you submit any weekly output, attach (or include in comments):
  “Consent + Privacy Checklist completed: Yes.”
  If any checkbox is “No,” revise before submission.