Deconstructing TikTok 2022
VISST Virtual Spring Break Camp
March 21-25, 2022
Recommended grades: 6-9
What data is collected when you use TikTok or other social media? Should you care? In this Spring Break camp, you’ll learn by turning the tables - unravel “the algorithm”, create your own ads, look behind the scenes of data collection, and more.
Program Details
When?
This virtual camp runs March 21-25, 2022. Each day consists of a morning session from 10am-11:30am and an afternoon session from 12:30pm-2pm. Participants take their own lunch break from 11:30am-12:30pm.
Who?
Our virtual camp is designed for grade 6-9 students in BC. If you / your child are outside British Columbia or outside this age range, but would still like to participate, please contact us using the form below.
Cost
The camp fee is $199. However, a limited number of free spots are available for eligible families where the fee would be a barrier to participation - please contact us at workshops@visst.ca.
Why?
Join an eye-opening experience looking at how your daily activities are tracked and monetized - you may never think of social media the same way again.
Gain experience in areas you won’t find in school, including advertising, economics, and data privacy.
Peek into the “real world” of money and technology in a small-class setting with a seasoned entrepreneur and a UBC computer science professor.
Earn a certificate of completion from the Vancouver Independent School for Science and Technology.
We promise it’ll be better than a week spent on TikTok!
Here’s what we’ll do:
Day 1:
Is this an ad?
When we (Shaun & Mike) were kids, it was obvious when the TV switched from The Simpsons to a breakfast cereal advertisement. These days, on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, it can be hard to tell the difference between “content” and “advertising”. On Day 1 we’ll explore this blurred line and try to spot some hidden ads on our TikTok feeds.
Day 2:
Targeted Advertising
When you and I open TikTok or search on Google, we see different things. Is this a convenience or a concern? And, how do these platforms know what to show us? On Day 2 we’ll explore algorithms and risks of targeted advertising. Then, make our own TikToks and share our work!
Day 3:
Economics of surveillance
Did you know that each of us has a customer lifetime value? You might be worth $2,000 to TikTok and I might be worth $1,000, who knows! On Day 3 we’ll see if we can calculate how much a customer is worth to a social media platform. And we’ll consider, if you’re worth $2,000 to TikTok, how might they spend $1,000 to keep you using the platform?
Day 4:
Tracking tools
When you visit a website with your computer or phone, how much does the site know about you? What if you’re logged in? What about cookies? On Day 4 we’ll pull back the curtain and see firsthand what sorts of information we can collect about our visitors. Then we’ll visit our favourite websites and investigate what information they are passing on to advertisers.
Day 5:
Terms and conditions apply
Have you actually read TikTok’s Privacy Policy or Terms of Service? Let’s face it, most of us press “I Agree” multiple times a month without reading the details. And who can blame us - TikTok’s Terms of Service is about 30,000 words, or more than 50 pages long! On Day 5 we’ll discuss the roles of these documents and how to approach them, and then we’ll tie everything we’ve learned together to wrap up the workshop.
Check out some examples of what our participants created in last year’s Deconstructing TikTok at our student work page!
Camp Leaders
This camp is led by Shaun, an education entrepreneur (left) and Mike, an award-winning UBC computer science professor (middle), and Shira, a high school student who participated in Deconstructing TikTok last year (right). Learn more about Shaun and Mike here.
Testimonials
This was probably my favourite camp I've ever been to and it gives you knowledge that you will use throughout your life. This was amazing and thank you so much Mike and Shaun for teaching us about this.
- Grade 6 student, Deconstructing TikTok 2021
I just loved how they make me want to learn.
- Grade 7 student, Deconstructing TikTok 2021
This camp made me think differently about how I use the internet.
- Grade 9 student, Deconstructing TikTok 2021
Our Story
We are a team of experienced educators opening a not-for-profit high school in Vancouver to pursue our mission of educating high school students without leaving them wondering, Why am I learning this?
Past Workshops
My Pandemic Story
The Covid-19 pandemic has affected everyone, but how has it affected you? We’re partnering with a public health doctor to open a two-way dialogue about the lives of young people in a pandemic.
Machine Learning, Demystified
Self-driving cars, paintings authored by algorithms, artificial intelligences that seem almost human — machine learning is the thread that ties these amazing technologies together. So, is machine learning only accessible to researchers and engineers at powerful tech companies? Nope!