Using visual cues to enhance phishing education for children

Children are often viewed as digital natives, being comfortable with technology and facing less online risk. Their ability to identify phishing attacks – widely regarded as an adult-only problem – is often overlooked, which leaves children vulnerable to an increasingly common threat. This potentially puts them and their parents/guardians at risk of identity theft or financial damage. To help children learn about phishing it is proposed that visual cues can help to direct attention to key indicators. The aim of this research was to identify the impact on learning by creating a prototype phishing education website for children. Phishing education was delivered through reading material, scenario-based learning games, a matching game, and a quiz. An evaluation with 18 participants split into groups receiving education with/without visual cues show that visual cues made content more enjoyable and easier to understand. After completing the educational activities both groups improved in their ability to identify phishing attempts, with visual cue materials reflecting slightly better (avg. of 6% more) participant results. The results show that the combination of gamification, scenario-based learning, and visual cues presents a promising approach for improving children’s phishing awareness.