# Gamification vs. Privacy: Identifying and Analysing the Major Concerns
## 1 Introduction  
During the last few years, the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) has become more common. ICTs with different graphics, activities, requirements, and concepts have been designed for a variety of sectors. They are based on several methods or techniques according to each case, such as Virtual Reality (VR), a computer-generated simulation of a real-life environment, which makes the user feel like they are within the simulation [1]. Another example is Augmented Reality (AR) which is implemented in mobile applications and through it, items of real environments are presented in the digital world of the application [2]. After the second half of 2010, a new method, named gamification, has been introduced in ICTs, aiming to encourage users to use different types of technologies. Gamification is a method which has been implemented in several sectors, supporting user engagement and providing benefits, such as an increase of user activities, social interaction, quality and productivity of actions [3]. As the use ofthis method increased over the past few years [4], several attempts to define gamification have been carried out, but a standard definition has not yet been provided [5]. The most cited definition was published by [PERSON] et al. in 2011, who stated that \"gamification is the use of game design elements in non-game contexts\" [5]. Gamified applications aim to increase users' motivation and awareness towards the use of ICTs, and the quality and quantity of the given activities' output [3]. ICTs that use gamification consist of game design elements, thereby providing \"gameful\" environments and experiences for the users. Game design elements should be meaningful to the user and result in a positive change in the user's mind in order to achieve user engagement. Such elements include the profiles, leaderboards and points [3,4]. According to the literature, research has been conducted combining gamification with other sectors. Useful implementations of this method have been noticed in the marketing domain, which aims to increase sales and to drum up interest in their products by providing appropriate gamified applications [6,7]. Equally important is the use of these applications in the health domain as users can be educated to protect themselves in a more entertaining way and without being afraid of their health problems [8, 9, 10, 11]. Their daily interactions with these applications helps them to not forget the advice from their doctors and their prescriptions as well. In addition, another sector where gamification has been used is the education sector, which enables users to be educated in a more educational and effective way so that student interest is maintained [12, 13, 14]. Additionally, gamified services have been recorded in relation to tourism [15, 16, 17] and culture [18, 19, 20] offering benefits depending on the sector. The use of gamification in the aforementioned sectors is just as important as it is in software engineering. [PERSON] et al. [21] in 2014, conducted a systematic mapping of gamification in software engineering by analysing several attempts in order to characterise the state of the art of this field and to identify gaps and opportunities for further research. In addition to this study, in 2018 a similar mapping was conducted by [PERSON] et al. [22] regarding gamification in software engineering education, aiming to identify the works of this area. To a lesser extent, attempts to associate this method with security have been implemented with the purpose of highlighting the crucial role of security in applications and the benefits of this method in educating users regarding security issues [23, 24, 25]. While secure gamified services are important, the protection of users' privacy while using them is necessary as well. As the personal information of users is stored and users' actions are monitored, the development of services which respect users' privacy is needed. This work concerns the examination of the relationship between gamification and privacy.