As more everyday services move online, understanding how to stay safe in digital spaces is increasingly important. However, cybersecurity information can sometimes feel complicated or difficult to apply.
The Cyber Safety research team explored a different approach: learning about cybersafety through a non-digital card game.
The study, “Cybersafety Card Game: Empowering Digital Educators to Teach Cybersafety to Older Adults,” looks at how an educational card game can provide practical cybersecurity advice while encouraging people to learn, discuss their experiences and interact with digital educators.
Learning Cybersafety Through a Card Game
The Cyber Safety research team developed a 48-card game designed to make cybersecurity education more social, interactive and accessible.
The cards focused on four key areas:
- Handling scams
- Password management
- Responding to cyber attacks
- Staying private
Testing the Game
The game was tested with 16 participants in Ireland: 14 participants and two digital educators. Sessions took place in Cork and Dublin. The research team observed participants while they played and gathered additional feedback through interviews and surveys.
At first, some participants found the rules and different types of cards difficult to understand. However, engagement improved as they became more familiar with the game. Participants began discussing the cybersecurity advice, connecting it with their own experiences and working together while playing.
Practical Advice That Encourages Conversation
Participants found the cybersecurity advice relevant and useful, with advice about handling scams receiving particularly positive feedback.
The game also introduced some participants to concepts they had not encountered before, including two-factor authentication (2FA), passphrases and PULSE IDs.
Overall, the study shows how a social and interactive approach can make cybersecurity information easier to discuss and understand.