by Nino Gelashvili, Media Development Foundation (MDF), Georgia.
Mila and Kira, Mimi and Dete, Dr. Fake, alongside beloved characters from Georgian fairy tales, and other figures from online games come together on millab.ge to support everyone interested in developing media literacy skills.
The Media and Information Literacy Lab (MilLab) is an interactive online platform of the Media Development Foundation (MDF) designed to promote critical thinking, media literacy, and responsible media consumption. At a time when misinformation spreads rapidly, the platform is a valuable resource for educators aiming to develop critical thinking in youth and support informed media consumption. It features educational resources, media literacy quizzes and quiz competitions, interactive games and exercises that help users to better understand the media landscape.
MilLab combines a variety of learning materials – including real-world case studies, fact-checking exercises, and digital games – to develop essential media literacy skills. These include the ability to critically analyse media content, detect misinformation, understand the influence of propaganda, verify information, and recognise fake news and disinformation.
Each section on the website (Media and Information; Propaganda and Verification; Transparency; Hate Speech; Cyber; Personal Data/Privacy) offers in-depth insights, practical tools, and engaging content designed to help users better understand the role of media in a democratic society. The platform teaches how to assess credibility, uncover hidden agendas behind media outlets, and navigate online spaces responsibly.
Game-based activities created by MDF enable educators to integrate interdisciplinary learning into formal education while fostering media literacy skills across a variety of subjects.
Teaching history through media literacy
Integration of media literacy competences into formal education is crucial in order to build a resilient society from early ages and develop essential skills for accessing, analysing and reflecting on media content. To support this, MDF has developed materials that help educators incorporate media literacy across different subjects.
History has been widely used to fuel propaganda, influencing the attitudes of society. The Georgian case demonstrates how manipulating historical topics successfully sways public opinion, especially with regard to the anti-Western narratives. Therefore, teaching history through media literacy ensures that the citizens are equipped with historical knowledge but also with a skillset to critically analyse any piece of information.
“Operation Infection” is an educational game that immerses players in Soviet active measures, offering a compelling look into historical propaganda tactics. The players assume the role of a KGB agent tasked with orchestrating a large-scale disinformation campaign against the United States. Through this experience, players discover the strategies, stories, and psychological tactics that were key to Soviet propaganda efforts during the Cold War era. The game is both engaging and effective as a teaching tool, as a simulation of real-world disinformation techniques allows players to gain a more nuanced understanding of propaganda and disinformation.
In recognition of its innovative approach, “Operation Infection” won the “Most Creative Format ” award at the Global Fact 11 fact-checking conference.
Another online game, “Grandma’s Album”, invites players to identify locations by observing visual details and to learn the stories behind the places shown in historical photos related to the soviet occupation. Accompanied by audio narratives, sharing the history of each location, the game offers an interdisciplinary experience that develops both geolocation skills and historical knowledge.
Critical clicks: identifying disinformation and trolls
While surfing online, we often face disinformation and trolls and need skills to recognise and deal with them. Enter “Dr. Fake” – an online game where players must save Media Literacy City from Dr. Fake by confronting four of his companions: Mr. Deepfake, Mr. Troll, Mr. Clone and Mr. Phisher and answer their questions correctly. The game is developed by graduates of the MDF’s media literacy program during MDF’s first international hackathon – Hacking the Fake News.
Another online game, “Trolls Island”, aims to help players identify trolls on Facebook and raise awareness on the topic of personal data protection and cyber hygiene in general. The story follows two friends, Mimi and Dete. Mimi is lost on a deserted island, and Dete sets out to find her. Through this adventure, players learn to spot fake behaviour and think critically, which are skills as important in the online world as they are on the mysterious Troll Island.
Learning cybersecurity through play
In a modern reality where much of our social life takes place online, especially for young people who spend an increasing amount of time there, cybersecurity has become one of the biggest challenges. Cyberbullying stands out as a particularly harmful threat. An online game called “Cyberbullying” aims to turn that fear into empowerment.
The main character of the game is 16-year-old Kira, surrounded by seven cyber-ghosts, which are the symbols of online bullies, hurtful comments, and digital threats. Kira must answer seven questions that test how well she can spot, prevent, and deal with cyberbullying.
“Cyberbullying” helps players think carefully about what they do online, notice harmful behavior, and learn how to protect themselves and support others.
In another game, the main character, 17-year-old Mila, guides players to understand how important it is to protect personal data and practice good cyber hygiene in everyday life. Mila faces different online challenges while planning a trip to Milan that test her ability to keep her information safe, make smart digital choices, and stay secure on the internet.
Millab offers a variety of games for a better understanding of media. “Hate or Tolerate?” is among them, and it builds a story method that is used to teach migrant sensitive reporting and promote ethical standards to prevent marginalisation of vulnerable groups of society.
And that’s not all – millab.ge has even more games and activities for every age and interest, available in Georgian, English, Azerbaijani, and Armenian, which allows everyone to learn, play, and think critically in a language they feel comfortable with.
Author
Nino Gelashvili is the Media Programs Manager at the Media Development Foundation (MDF) and a journalist and media researcher focusing on media literacy and media-related topics.
