Moderator Mayhem
| Moderator Mayhem | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Copia, Leveraged Play |
| Publisher(s) | Engine |
| Engine | Vue.js |
| Platform(s) | web browser |
| Release | May, 2023 |
| Genre(s) | Casual |
Moderator Mayhem is a casual web-based video game designed by Engine, Randy Lubin, and Mike Masnick of Techdirt targeted towards policymakers.[1][2] The game is about the challenges of content moderation of user-generated content on social media.[2]
According to Cory Doctorow, the video game is based on a card game Masnick used to teach people about the difficulties of content moderation.[tw 1][tw 2]
It is designed for mobile phones but can also be played on personal computers.
Gameplay
The player acts as a content moderator for a fictional social media company and requires decision making under time pressure,[3]: 11:44 getting feedback from a manager character along the way.[1] In later rounds, the player is required to judge appeals, or rely on the advice of an AI-based content moderation system.[1] The gameplay is primarily swipe-based.[2].
While the gameplay describes the topics content moderators encounter in real life, it does not display prohibited content.[1]
Reception
The hosts of This Week in Google podcast said the game demonstrates how policies affect people, and that the game itself is an example of journalism.[3]: 12:38 . Doctorow suggests it as important to discussions of content moderation.[tw 3], because of the impact of technology regulation on people's lives.[tw 4] Business Punk magazine suggests it may help the player appreciate the difficulty of the task of content moderation,[4] while Rob Pegoraro of PC Magazine said the game showed him he did not want a job as a content moderator.[1] Inforrm noted the game's relevance to discussions of legal compliance, media safety and free speech.[5]
External links
References
- ^ a b c d e Pegoraro, Rob (May 15, 2023). "Think You Can Be a Content Moderator? Test Your Skills With This Game". PCMag. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
- ^ a b c Robertson, Adi (May 11, 2023). "I am going to win content moderation, something that is both normal to want and possible to achieve". The Verge.
- ^ a b Leo Laporte; Jeff Jarvis; Stacey Higginbotham; Ant Pruitt (May 17, 2023). "This Week in Google 716: It's Pronounced Papyri". twit.tv (Podcast). TWiT.tv. Event occurs at 7:24-13:52 (11:44, 12:17, 12:38, 13:13). Retrieved 2023-07-05.
- ^ Business Punk Redaktion (May 15, 2023). "Bei diesem Spiel könnt ihr eure Fähigkeiten als Content-Moderator:in testen". Business Punk. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
- ^ "Global Freedom of Expression, Columbia University: Newsletter w/e 3 June 2023". Inforrm's Blog. June 3, 2023. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
Microblog
- ^ Doctorow, Cory [@doctorow] (May 13, 2023). "Moderator Mayhem started life as a card-game that @mmasnick used to teach policy wonks about the real-world issues with content moderation. You play a mod who has to evaluate content moderation flags from users while a timer ticks down. 7/" (Tweet). Retrieved 2023-07-07 – via Twitter.
- ^ Doctorow, Cory [@doctorow] (May 13, 2023). "The card-game version is legendary but required a lot of organization to play, and the web version (which is better in a mobile browser, thanks to a swipe-left/right mechanic) is something you can pick up in seconds. 10/" (Tweet). Retrieved 2023-07-07 – via Twitter.
- ^ Doctorow, Cory [@doctorow] (May 13, 2023). "This isn't merely highly recommended; I think that one could legitimately refuse to discuss content moderation policies and critiques with anyone who hasn't played it; https://moderatormayhem.engine.is 11/" (Tweet). Retrieved 2023-07-07 – via Twitter.
- ^ Doctorow, Cory [@doctorow] (May 13, 2023). "Or maybe that's too harsh. After all, #TechPolicy is a game that everyone can play - and more importantly, it's a game everyone *should* play. The contours of #TechRegulation and implementation touch rub up against nearly every aspect of our lives. 12/" (Tweet). Retrieved 2023-07-07 – via Twitter.