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How many times have I started off my blog with ‘According to Wikipedia’? Too many times probably yet according to Wikipedia: ‘Gamification is the strategic attempt to enhance systems, services, organizations (sic), and activities by creating similar experiences to those experienced when playing games in order to motivate and engage users.’ (Hamari, J. (2019). "Gamification". … Continue reading Gamifying can make things worse

I’m glad that Thinking Digital is back in May. Moving the conference, one of the highlights of the North East events’ calendar to July just felt odd, like moving Christmas to March. Perhaps this is how those who still prefer the Julian calendar feel. Making my way across the High Level Bridge to the Glasshouse, … Continue reading I’m Thinking Digital

Whenever I see an advert on the television for a well known doorbell with an embedded camera I wince a little at the thought of the opportunity to use this information for malintent. Sure enough, it’s not only me, as the company in my thoughts has been hacked at least once. The temptation is just … Continue reading Digital coercion and control

Image thanks to Newcastleworld The North East is getting a new mayor. Following the creation of the North of Tyne Combined Authority (NoTCA) some years ago, the new combined authority will see it expanded to cover all seven local authority areas from Northumberland, Tyneside, Wearside and Durham. The NoTCA will be subsumed into the North … Continue reading A New Mayor

At last, after seven years of trying, the CyberNorth Cyber Security Innovation Centre is underway. OK, it doesn’t quite look like it was originally envisaged, it is a lot smaller, a lot cheaper yet much more portable and flexible. A lot has changed in the last seven years. It is also much more doable and … Continue reading Finally we’re underway

They say that you should never go back, at least when it comes to work. It won’t be long before you remember why you left in the first place. Yet I have, in a way, gone back. Six months after I stepped down as a director of UKC3 I have agreed to go back, not … Continue reading Never go back

Image thanks to Freepik I’m not making any resolutions this year, no not this year, none at all. The pedant in me wonders if this is indeed a resolution but I’ll let that pass. I’m resolute and in this way success is guaranteed, I cannot fail to achieve anything I haven’t set myself to do. … Continue reading No resolutions

Image thanks to AIImageGenerator I always have a love-hate relationship with Christmas. Yes, it’s lovely to meet up with your family and exchange gifts, eat too much, drink too much and watch crap on the television. It’s a time to grab a bit of rest in an otherwise hectic life. What I don’t like is … Continue reading Enjoy yourself

This week, on my day out, I was down on the quayside on the Newcastle side of the river. I’d agreed to meet someone there with the vague instructions that she would be down at the court's end of the river bank. So, there I was opposite the law courts, keeping an eye out for … Continue reading Survey

Week three of the North East’s biggest cyber security festival is a little quieter than week two with only (?) three events, one online and two in person. It could be the eye of the storm as the last week gets very busy again. The first event, #8 in the schedule is a short online … Continue reading #CyberFest week three