Is your password sexist? A gamification-based analysis of the cultural context of leaked passwords

Passwords are still the most common authentication method for various digital services. The majority of the research into passwords is focused on technical concerns rather than the human elements of password construction. In this paper, we aim at studying cultural aspects of leaked passwords with the usage of an online game. In particular, we
introduce a novel web-based data collection tool utilizing gamification elements that benefits from appealing aesthetics and implemented narrative elements to engage users into prolonged play. The player’s role is to label presented passwords with available descriptive tags. Our goal is to collect a large number of gaming data to identify prevalent tag choices through consensus, and as such, assign perceived meaning to the passwords through the tags. An initial field test of the prototype returned a high number of responses that were determined to be valid when assessed via internal controls.