Bad News

game

2018

WISE
86%

WISE Score

A Cambridge-designed browser game where you build a fake-news empire by trolling followers to learn how online propaganda actually spreads.

Where to Play

Platform availability info not available. Search for "Bad News" on your preferred gaming platform.

Screenwise Verdict

Most media literacy lectures fail because telling a teenager 'don't believe everything you read online' achieves nothing. Bad News succeeds because it hands them the keys to the propaganda machine and tells them to go break the internet.

Over 15 to 20 minutes, players post fake tweets, launch conspiracy blogs, impersonate public figures, and stoke political panic to earn six manipulation badges. The genius of the design—rooted in Cambridge University's research on behavioral inoculation—is that understanding how the trick is pulled off makes you instantly spot it when someone tries it on your own feed.

It is cynical, funny, and deeply effective. Just make sure younger kids use the simplified Junior version, as the main game's dark humor and political topics fit high schoolers best.

Age Fit

Best for high schoolers (14+) who are actively navigating unmoderated social feeds. For middle schoolers and upper elementary students, seek out Bad News Junior.

WISE Breakdown
Wholesome
65

You play as an unprincipled fake-news mogul intentionally stoking fear and polarization, though the satirical dark tone serves a clear educational purpose.

Imaginative
72

Clever role-reversal concept using psychological inoculation theory to turn propaganda mechanics into a playable text-based simulation.

Safe
88

Free browser game with no ads, tracking, account requirements, or microtransactions. Content involves simulated outrage and trolling, but in a safe sandbox.

Enriching
94

Top-tier educational tool developed with Cambridge researchers that breaks down real-world digital manipulation tactics better than any lecture.

Parent Info
✓

Why It Might Be Great

  • Psychological inoculation: By putting kids in the role of the manipulator, it builds real-world immunity against clickbait and outrage bait.
  • Teaches six core tactics: Breaks down impersonation, emotional manipulation, polarization, conspiracy, discrediting, and trolling in concrete choices.
  • Zero friction: Completely free in any browser, taking under 20 minutes with no login, ads, or data harvested.
  • Grounded in science: Built in partnership with University of Cambridge researchers who tested its effectiveness in peer-reviewed studies.
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What to Watch For

  • Playing the bad guy: Winning requires dropping ethics to maximize viral reach, which can feel uncomfortably cynical for younger kids.
  • Mature news themes: Simulates politically charged topics like climate change, biotechnology, and government cover-ups.
  • Main game is for teens: Recommended for ages 14+; younger players (ages 8–12) should use the standalone Bad News Junior version instead.

Conversation Starters

  • "Which tactic felt easiest to pull off in the game—emotional outrage or impersonation?"
  • "Have you seen real posts on your feed this week that use the exact strategies you used to win badges?"
  • "Why do you think outrage and fear gain followers faster than nuanced or neutral information?"
  • "If you were designing a feed algorithm, how would you penalize account holders who use these tactics?"

Deep Dive

Why it works better than a lecture

Traditional digital literacy lessons focus on verification checklists: checking domain names, looking for author bios, or cross-referencing sources. The problem is that modern social feeds bypass rational evaluation entirely by targeting emotion first. Bad News flips the dynamic by making the player the predator rather than the prey.

When you play the game, your success metric is simple: maximize your follower count and credibility meter while deliberately exploiting human psychological weaknesses. You quickly learn that measured, truthful headlines get zero traction, while emotional trigger words and US vs. THEM framing make numbers jump. Once a kid experiences how easy it is to manufacture outrage from scratch, their default reaction to viral content shifts from belief to skepticism.

How to use it with a high schooler

Because Bad News requires no sign-up and takes under 20 minutes, it is an ideal co-playing experience. Sit down at the laptop together, let your teen make the decisions on which headline to publish, and watch how the simulated public reacts.

After finishing a run, open a live social media feed—X, TikTok, or Reddit—and try to spot real-world examples of the six badges earned in the game (impersonation, emotion, polarization, conspiracy, discredit, trolling). Realizing that viral accounts are executing the exact playbook they just mastered in a browser simulation is usually an eye-opener.

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