"Go viral!" - this is the name of the game developed by psychologists from the University of Cambridge, in which experts from the UK government were also involved. What is it about?
Play fake news!
Published Feb. 7, 2022 12:23
Fot. Getty Images/iStockphoto
Thanks to "Go viral!" you can learn about the ways in which disinformation about the coronavirus arises and spreads. Each player takes on the role of fake news pandemic writer. The online game scheme was developed by social decision-making specialists from the University of Cambridge in cooperation with the media agency DROG and the British Cabinet.
According to experts, in this way the society has a chance to learn how to recognize false information in the media, which contributes to the deepening of the public health crisis. This thesis is confirmed by a study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied. Apparently, taking part in such a game once makes us less susceptible to false information ... for at least three months.
Fake news, according to Dr Sander van der Linden, project manager, has one thing in common with the virus - it spreads extremely quickly and can be life-threatening. The question is, can we distinguish between false and verified information?
The game, which lasts 5-7 minutes, introduces you to the basics of online manipulation. It is actually a simple guide to common techniques that use language that evokes extreme emotions such as outrage or fear, and methods that allow you to achieve a dizzying amount of likes and shares on social media. "Go viral!" it also teaches you to recognize a false expert, conspiracy theories, and shows how out of context video can be used to increase the credibility of fake news. Dr. Jon Roozenbeek, co-creator of the game at the Cambridge Psychology Department, confirms that it is primarily a tool to distinguish fact from fiction.
The game harks back to another pre-pandemic game from 2018, Bad News, which has been played over a million times since its release. Cambridge researchers tested Bad News and found that just one-off gameplay reduces the perceived credibility of fake news by an average of 21%. These preliminary results were confirmed in an even more rigorous study published in January this year.
What "Go viral!" different from the original from a few years ago? The game is primarily focused on experiences related to the COVID-19 pandemic and uses research from the World Health Organization on "infodemia".
Recent statistics suggest nearly 6,000 people worldwide have been hospitalized in just the first three months of this year due to disinformation about the coronavirus.
Everyone will be able to use the game. The German and French versions are now available.
Source: BBC
