Bad News

A group of European researchers and journalists developed a game designed to help people (optimally between 15-35 years old, they say) become more conscious of fake news distribution practices and to resist deception and misinformation in the long run. Bad News puts players in the role of producers of misinformation and fake news in return for badges rewarded to the “masters of disinformation.” Players learn to distort the truth, plant falsehoods, and deflect attention among their virtual Twitter followers. By exposing people to fake news production processes and helping them gain hands-on experience, Bad News is able to help people develop increased familiarity to fake news distribution practices and immunity towards manipulation.

Fake It to Make It

Fake It to Make It also puts the player in the role of the creator of fake news, trying to make money from advertisers by setting up a site, copying news stories and re-posting them, creating fake social media accounts and generating interest by choosing users and groups to target with social media messages. It provides a running tally of how much attention your website has gotten and how much money you’ve made. You quickly get a sense of what questionably-ethical strategies work best – it’s amazing how low you can sink, how quickly, to start winning!