Critical mail№ 63

Each player leaves the room once, so there should be enough stories available (one per player). One person leaves the room. The reader reads a story (e.g. a chain letter, a spam, a competition or a post that is often shared on social networks) and does not say whether the story is true or false. The first player should repeat the story, then it is the second person’s turn to repeat the story. The story is told one after the other until it reaches the last person.

Now the person who has left the room is asked to return to the room.

The last player to be told the story now tells it to the ignorant person. This must now also tell the story. Afterwards the reader reads the original story again.

It is discussed how much the last person’s story differs from the original story and how you can tell if the story is true or fictional.

The game is over once each player has left the room.

Possible stumbling blocks:

The players do not believe that the story is fiction. In this case, the host counselor should show them the page on which the stories/posts were uncovered as lies.

If young people should continue to believe in chain letters, although they are told that they are fictitious, they can save the Saferinternet.at chain letter number on their smartphone under the name “chain letter” and send their chain letters to this number.

Since all Saferinternet.at employees read the messages, forwarding the chain letter to this number is worth the same amount as forwarding it to 20 different numbers.

The Saferinternet chain letter number: 0660 213 54 23

Hints:

Current, widespread and shared fake contributions can be found, for example, on www.mimikama.at and www.watchlist-internet.at/

Current articles from (reputable!) newspapers can also be used for true “stories”.