Mozilla Creates A Game To Teach Users About Encryption

Nowadays we are hearing the term “encryption” being tossed around a lot. For example recently it was discovered that Apple had shipped the latest beta of iOS 10 with an unencrypted kernel, and we’re sure some of you guys are wondering what the big deal is? Sure, some of you might have a rough idea of what encryption is, but if you wanted more in-depth knowledge, Mozilla is here to help.

Mozilla has recently launched a new web-based game called Codemoji. The idea behind the game is to teach/educate the public about encryption in a fun manner, instead of throwing walls of text at users, some of whom could be completely clueless about tech to begin with. According to the company, “Mozilla built Codemoji alongside our friends at TODO, the Turin, Italy-based design and creative agency. Our goal: To educate everyday Internet users about ciphers and the basics of encryption.”

So how does one “play” Codemoji? Basically the game simulates text messages. You type in the message you want and then send it to a friend. However the message won’t be sent as-is, instead it will be encrypted in the form of emojis to give users an idea of how encryption works, thus educating them in a way that is fun and that they are familiar with (we’re sure everyone has sent text messages before, right?).

According to Mark Surman, Mozilla’s Executive Director, “When more people understand how encryption works and why it’s important to them, more people can stand up for encryption when it matters most. This is crucial: Currently, encryption is being threatened around the world. From France to Australia to the UK, governments are proposing policies that would harm user security by weakening encryption. And in the U.S., the FBI recently asked Apple to undermine the security of its own products.”

Tyler Lee
Categories: General
Tags: Mozilla, Security