Group launches browser game on voter literacy

GE15 | With the 15th general election (GE15) fast approaching, all eyes will be on the over 1.3 million youths aged 18-20 that have become eligible to vote, thanks to the passing of Undi18 and automatic voter registration in 2019.

With that in mind, local group the Malaysia Information Literacy Education (Mile), has created a fun and simple browser game aimed at helping young first-time voters navigate the spread of misleading and/or deliberately false information, extensive politicking, and propaganda that are sure to be present in the lead up to what is being dubbed “the mother of all elections”.

Funded by the Google News Initiative and illustrated by Studio Behind 90, the game ‘Are you Yang Bijak?’ is an expansion of Mile’s popular 2021 “Choices I Make” game originally created to help Malaysians navigate the Covid-19 infodemic.

“This time, ‘Are you Yang Bijak?’ will address electoral dis- and misinformation, as well as political and divisive propaganda,” said Mile co-founder K Darshini.

The game also aims to educate players on fact-checking and cyber troopers.

“In addition, we aim to teach game users to identify related personal biases that could affect their ability to discern false or misleading information and educate them on the consequences of believing and spreading them.”

'Beneficial to everyone'

Darshini said the group was motivated to expand on its original game based on feedback received after the release of the first game during the height of the pandemic late last year, so as to help first-time voters become informed electorates.

Available in English, Malay and Chinese and can be played both on desktop and mobile, ‘Are you Yang Bijak?’ allows players to assume the role of a college student taken in by a social media-savvy politician running in an election.

"Although aimed at young and first-time voters, the game can be beneficial to everyone, of various age groups and voting experience.

“Mile hopes to be able to instil wider critical thinking and information literacy skills in the country.”

In fact, the Mile team is already working on expanding the game beyond GE15 to address other groups of voters, other forms of political misinformation, and other by-elections, she added.

The game is available in three major languages - English, Bahasa Malaysia, and Chinese - and can be played both on desktop and mobile at www.choicesimake.com.

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