With Christmas Day fast approaching, now is a timely opportunity to consider fast, effective techniques of raising public awareness of online scams – especially as it’s estimated that UK shoppers are set to spend £24.1 billion online this festive season*.
Incorporating the theme of scams into classic carols and songs can easily raise cyber-security awareness, as it’s believed that rhyme and music can help people retain important information, with the fine folks at Journalistic.org providing this article which I’m reprinting it full.
Experts at Scams.info harnessed AI technology to create scam-aware adaptations of classic Christmas carols and songs, including Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You, Jingle Bells, Wham’s Last Christmas, Silent Night, and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing. The company also partnered with James Roy, the Technical Director at Brainworks Neurotherapy, to delve into the significance of rhyming for learning.
All I Want Is Online Safety (Inspired by Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You”)
I don’t need a flashy website,
To know it’s safe for me.
Just want a secure connection,
No online threats, let it be.
I won’t ask for your credentials,
Or your personal key.
I just want to browse in peace,
With my digital sanctity.
I just want to surf the net safely,
Cybersecurity is what I plea.
No phishing scams, no honey traps,
All I want is online safety.
I won’t fall for those fake emails,
Or click on links unsure.
I’ll update my software savvy,
No malware knocking at my door.
I don’t need a Christmas virus,
No ransomware for me.
I just want a cozy online space,
No digital calamity.
I just want to surf the net safely,
Cybersecurity is what I plea.
No phishing scams, no honey traps,
All I want is online safety.
According to James Roy, Technical Director at Brainworks Neurotherapy: “Melodies formed through rhyming often feature rhythmic patterns naturally promoting repetition, thereby strengthening memory traces in the brain. This strengthens the connection between rhymed words and the information they represent, making recall easier when required.
“Rhyming serves as a cognitive tool with a remarkable impact on memory, engaging the brain’s intricate processes.”
Hark! The Savvy Shoppers Sing (Inspired by “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” by Charles Wesley)
Hark! The savvy shoppers sing,
Avoid those scams deceit may bring!
Peace on Earth, goodwill to all,
But beware the fraudsters and their cunning call.
Hark! The herald angels caution,
Dodge the tricks and fraud’s concoction.
Joyful, all ye wise consumers,
Stay alert, be scam reducers!
James Roy continues: “When we employ rhymes, our brain processes information by structuring it into manageable ‘segments’ or ‘chunks.’ This not only streamlines information storage but also enhances retrieval from long-term memory when needed.”
Silent Night (inspired by “Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht” composed by Franz Xaver Gruber to lyrics by Joseph Mohr)
Silent night, secure online,
All is calm, protect thy sign.
Round yon passwords, keep them tight,
Holy cyber, avoid the fright.
Sleep in scam-free peace,
Sleep in scam-free peace.
Silent night, on social streams,
Share with care, not all your dreams.
Keep it private, don’t ignite,
The oversharing blight.
Sleep in scam-free peace,
Sleep in scam-free peace.
Silent night, your data’s dear,
Update your software, have no fear.
Firewall strong, a shining light,
Malware thwarted, out of sight.
Sleep in scam-free peace,
Sleep in scam-free peace.
James emphasizes: “Rhyming acts as a mental scaffold that aids in organizing and making data accessible in our brain’s memory storage.” The repetitive aspect of rhymes is another pivotal factor significantly benefiting memory. Repetition plays a crucial role in memory consolidation, reinforcing neural connections.”
Last Scam-Mas (inspired by Wham! Last Christmas)
Last Christmas, I gave you my heart,
But the very next day, fell for a cyber-smart.
This year, to save me from tears,
I’ll be more cautious with clicks.
Once bitten and twice shy,
I keep my info on the sly.
Tell me, baby, do you recognize,
Online scams wear a clever disguise?
Last Christmas, I fell for the bait,
But the very next day, changed my online fate.
This year, to save me from slips,
I’ll keep passwords strong, guard those digital ships.
A crowded inbox, full of cheer,
But beware of those phishing near.
Friends with grinches, they might be,
Check twice before you click, you see.
Last Christmas, the lesson was learned,
No more data bridges burned.
This year, to save me from slips,
I’ll keep passwords strong, guard those digital ships.
According to the insight from James: “Rhymes employ a combination of structural cues, including rhythm, stress, and breaks. These cues establish a ‘mnemonic framework,’ a learning technique supporting information retention and retrieval in human memory.”
Warning Bells (Inspired by “Jingle Bells”)
Dashing through the web, on a virtual sleigh,
O’er the phishing sites, we go, laughing all the way.
Bells on firewalls ring, making spirits bright,
What fun it is to surf and sing a cybersecurity delight, oh!
Warning bells, passwords swell,
Guard them close; all is well.
Oh, what fun it is to ride,
In a sleigh of cyber-pride, hey!
A day or two ago, I thought I’d check my mail,
And soon, a scam appeared to set me up to fail.
The pop-ups were so sly, they asked for all my cheer,
But I said, “No way, cyber Grinch, you won’t get near!”
Warning bells, passwords swell,
Guard them close; all is well.
Oh, what fun it is to ride,
In a sleigh of cyber-pride, hey!
James concludes: “Rhyming stands as a potent memory-enhancing technique that harnesses the brain’s inherent organizational and repetition mechanisms. It optimizes information storage and retrieval by breaking down data into ‘chunks,’ reinforcing memory traces through repetition, and constructing mnemonic structures. Understanding the neurological impact of rhyming provides valuable insights into how it bolsters memory and cognitive development.”
Methodology
- Scams.info used AI technology to create scam-aware versions of classic Christmas carols and songs.
- The artificial intelligence program CHATgpt was used to generate scam-aware versions of classic Christmas carols and popular Christmas songs.
- The songs were chosen by asking 80 people what songs first come to mind when they think of Christmas.
- The data was collected on 05/12/2023.
