We are for sure experiencing a digital era. As far as sight goes, there is hardly anything which remains untouched by digitalisation. The Digital ecosystem has equipped people and businesses with a competitive edge by providing faster access to information, increased productivity, higher mobility, automation in processes and much more. Along with infinite opportunities, conveniences and utility, digitalisation has also come up with threats. Therefore, it has been crucial to be attentive while using various digital platforms.
Recently, a distressing news made headlines where police arrested an accused for stealing, holding and selling personal and confidential data of 66.9 crore individuals and organizations. He allegedly possessed data from online learning applications, e-commerce applications, OTT platforms and even from payment applications. Even though it has been claimed by almost every digital application that consumer data is fully encrypted and secure with them, the above-discussed incident has put into question what has been assured to consumers by such applications. Our personal and financial information is widely disposed to many such accused who are operating without any fear. Even the confidential data of AIIMS was hacked a few months back. The Internet is flooded with such incidents of cybercrime. Now the critical issue is, we are well-informed but not well-aware of such crimes. We usually come across such cases every day, yet aren’t cautious while providing our vital information to vague websites and applications. Cybersecurity awareness means knowing about various cyber threats, the ability to detect potential threats, and taking measures to mitigate their effect to protect your digital assets.
In conclusion, Gamification provides a pedagogical lens beyond concrete mechanisms for instruction. It relates to a broader ‘pedagogy of play’, one that proposes student agency, curiosity and enjoyment as vehicles for learning. So instead of having some cons, it can be accepted that gamification has been providing a better learning experience. Hence, students should be presented with a scaffolded mix of traditional and gamified learning materials so that the drawbacks can be set off.
According to a study named “Cybercrime: Youth Awareness Survey in Delhi NCR, India”, conducted in 2020, based upon 151 responses, aged between 16-35 years, 98% of the respondents knew about Cybercrime or Cyber terrorism. Of the surveyed youth, 66.3% of the respondents know about Phishing, 57% of the respondents know about Spamming, and 51.7% of the respondents know about Cyber Stalking. Only 43.7% of the respondents knew about mechanisms related to Cyber security.
Another survey “Internet Usage in India A Study on Online Safety, Digital Wellbeing & the Problem of Misinformation” conducted by IGPP in 2020 with 1154 valid responses, has revealed that almost 12% of respondents have reported that they have faced hacking of their passwords, while 7% of the respondents have faced financial fraud. Only 47% of the total respondents were aware of the existence of a mechanism that can safeguard individuals from the vulnerabilities of cyber intimidation. 85% of the respondents suggested that they would turn to the police in case they face any breach in their cyber safety and security. Figuring out the reason behind not complaining about the cybercrime issue showed that 43% of those who answered this question cited not being able to find the exact place for complaining, on the website. Another 34% replied that they could not find the link to make a complaint.
It is because of these reasons the Government of India has come up with initiatives like “Cyber Swachhta Kendra” and “Cyber Surakshit Bharat” which envisage creating a secure cyber ecosystem in the country. Every year, cyber security month is celebrated to spread awareness among people about different types of attacks and what methods can be implemented to protect themselves from becoming victims of such attacks.
To improve cybersecurity awareness, it would be extremely effective to include a basic course on cybersecurity in all university education curricula. This approach would be the most effective way to fundamentally help students be prepared to protect themselves, and the organizations that they will work for, in the future. Another solution could be, using online games as an opportunity. With the expansion of online and video games and their massive popularity among the younger population, creating scenario-based gaming is another effective way to improve overall awareness among the population. After all, many people (especially younger people) spend a great deal of time playing video games. To conclude, Cybersecurity is not a one-time solution, and it should not be restricted to just strong passwords or a few defensive approaches. It needs to become an individual responsibility. Knowing about security is vital.
