PROJECT PROPS
PROJECT PROPS COLLECTS DATA ON BEHAVIORS OF YOUNG PEOPLE ON ONLINE GAMING PLATFORMS TO IDENTIFY AND COMBAT HATE SPEECH
A survey found that 74% of young people who play online state that they have, at some point, come across unpleasant situations related to their performance as players. These and other data regarding hate speech among young adolescents in games and online gaming environments are the first results of Project PROPS- Interactive Narratives Propose Pluralistic Discourse.
PROPS is a project funded by FCT that aims to understand and combat hate speech online, especially among young people and adolescents. Understanding the impact of this phenomenon is key to developing effective prevention and intervention strategies.
In this first phase, the project team collaborated with schools in the municipalities of Olhão, Loulé, and Lagos, including students from 12 to 18 years old, from 16 different nationalities. A questionnaire was applied and about 200 valid answers were obtained, from which it was possible to analyze and assess the frequency as well as the nature of hate speech that young people experience during their interactions in games and virtual environments.
In its next phase, the project will conduct focus groups in schools, with the aim of bringing awareness to students about the manifestations and effects of online hate speech, promoting empathy and mutual respect.
This project, hosted by CIAC, is an initiative that aims to make virtual environments safer and more inclusive for young people. By addressing hate speech in a comprehensive and informative way, the project leaders hope to build a healthier online community and promote values of respect and tolerance among players.
The project team, led by CIAC researchers Bruno Mendes da Silva and Ana Filipa Martins, is composed of specialists with experience in the fields of Education, Media Studies and media literacy, and the creation and production of interactive films, video games and educational pathways based on gamification: Mirian Tavares, Carolina de Sousa, António Costa Valente, Susana Costa and Patrícia Dourado (CIAC/UAlg); Maria Potes Barbas and José Dias (CIAC/IPSantarém); José Bidarra (CIAC/UAB); Francisco Merino and Luís Nogueira (University of Beira Interior). In addition to the cooperation between researchers, this project involves public and political institutions, the educational community, as well as non-specialized public. CIAC collaborators Alexandre Martins, Ana Gavina, Beatriz Valente, Gabriel Evangelista, Gabriella Silva and Rui d’orey are also part of the project.
More information here.
