“Social Media Puppeteers”, “Social Media Fake News” and “Data Defenders”: games and video games to promote youngsters’ information and media literacy

Video games have acquired heightened relevance following the experiences endured during the pandemic, notably concerning personal well-being and social connections. This contribution presents the tangible outcomes of the project YO-MEDIA - Youngsters’ Media Literacy in Times of Crisis, specifically the board games “Social Media Puppeteers” and “Social Media Fake News”, and the video game “Data Defenders”, which are the result of the design and production efforts of the project team. The article focuses on the mechanics, graphic choices, characters, and atmospheres of games. The ultimate goal of the products is to support the development of skills in young people through play, engagement, and direct participation, while introducing key techniques underlying pre-bunking and the strategies for debunking fake news, through the characters' actions. During the games, the participants are called upon to produce information, deconstruct it, and verify sources.