Abstract
Internet usage increases every year, and internet-connected apps and websites make up a large portion of this growth, so it becomes more important to understand how the information we share on the internet can impact our daily lives. From companies using personal data for targeted advertising to hackers exploiting accounts by using public information to answer security questions, poor internet practices can cause a great deal of harm. These forms of exploitation show the need for more education on internet privacy. My Privacy Awareness Learning Games (myPAL Games) was designed to address this gap in education for children and parents. The website contains fun, interactive drawings and games to test a child’s knowledge on the lessons provided. The main game featured is a “Spot the Sensitive Information” test where it provides the player with a social media post, and they need to choose the section where sensitive information is being exposed (ie. a phone number on a dog’s collar or a school name and logo in the background). Other ideas include a “Targeted Advertising” game where players will choose an ad to advertise to a character based on metadata they collect, and a “Safe to Share” game where the player will decide if sharing data with someone is safe in a specific context. myPAL Games aims to make learning about internet privacy accessible, interactive, and fun for young audiences while encouraging informed discussions at home.
