"Click if you agree", a game to understand the issues of privacy on the Internet

MediaSmarts, the Canadian Center for Media Literacy and Digital Literacy, is launching a new game that aims to help 12 to 14 year olds make informed decisions while online. Called Click if you agree, the game teaches them the skills they need to read and understand legal policies on websites and in the software they use.

Different virtual scenarios require finding information in privacy policies and terms of service in order to decide what to do. To get closer to reality, they are inspired by current policies and conditions and written in quasi-legal language. The scenarios reflect common virtual environments popular with young people: a multi-player virtual game, a music store, a photo app, and social media.

Legal documents such as privacy policies (which deal with the use and sharing of personal data) and terms of use (which provide detailed terms of use and are sometimes referred to as "terms of service" ) can be intimidating, even for adults. By reviewing these documents, the user may agree to obligations or a use of their personal information with which they do not feel very comfortable.

“Our research continually shows that the websites, apps and online games used by young Canadians are extremely commercial. So they need to know exactly what they're agreeing to when they sign up to socialize and play, says Jane Tallim, co-executive director of MediaSmarts. Without realizing it, children could provide photos, locations and other sensitive confidential data. "

Young people can play the game online Click if you agree in the company of their parents, who may also need help building their skills in understanding these dense and frequent documents. Teachers can determine how well the game fits into their lesson plans using the charts in the teacher's guide that accompanies it.

Source: press release