Serious Game Launched by the Bavarian State Agency for Political Education
– 2 min read
The Bavarian State Agency for Political Education has launched 'Deine Stimme' (Your Vote). This serious game is designed to raise awareness among young people in grades 8 and above about populist and anti-democratic movements and to show them in an interactive way how personal voting decisions can influence political outcomes.
The Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs, Anna Stolz, has given the official go-ahead for the serious game 'Deine Stimme' (Your Vote) from the Bavarian State Agency for Civic Education. She says: "Free elections are a privilege and a clear sign of a living democracy. It is the responsibility of all of us to protect them. Our schools have an important role to play. As educators of values, they lay the foundations for tolerant, respectful and responsible interaction with one another. With the new game 'Deine Stimme', we want to further raise awareness of the importance of democratic elections. The game adds value by allowing students to explore the importance of their own vote in a fun way."
In a simulated election campaign between four fictitious parties, young people can learn to recognise and critically counter populist strategies such as spreading misinformation, instrumentalising fears and personal attacks - and to counter them critically. The game, which can be downloaded from the website of the Bavarian State Agency for Civic Education (BLZ) at www.blz.bayern.de, integrates realistic election campaign mechanisms, social media content and influencers such as a fictional streamer. At the same time, it encourages young people to actively question information, seek out credible sources and counter anti-democratic tendencies.
BLZ Director Rupert Grübl said: 'Young people in particular need to be equipped to deal with the dangers of fake news, hate and incitement on the internet and populist manipulation. The new game 'Deine Stimme' from the Bavarian State Agency for Political Education is not just a game, but an important response to the challenges posed by populist narratives in our society. It aims to motivate young people to critically and courageously question supposedly simple solutions to complex social problems and to stand up for democratic values."
Never miss anything from the German, Swiss and Austrian games industry again: subscribe for free to our Daily newsletter and get all news straight to your inbox.
Written by
