Much has been written in recent years, and even recent days, about the threat posed to the mental wellbeing of children by malign external forces, whether it be X generating nude images of women, the misogyny spread by influencers such as Andrew Tate, or the welter of ‘misinformation’ available online. But a story at the weekend reminds us of one of the most formidable actors in this department, one that continues to warp and taint young minds: our education system.
A state-funded computer game, developed with government backing by councils in East Yorkshire, reminds teenagers they risk being referred to a counter-terrorism programme if they question mass migration. In Pathways, an interactive game designed for 11- to 18-year-old pupils and funded by Prevent, the Home Office programme designed for tackling extremism, players are directed to help their in-game characters – a white teenage boy or girl – on how to avoid being reported for ‘extreme Right-wing ideology’. Players discover the consequences of ‘engaging directly’ with posts which talk about ‘the need to take back control of our country’ and ‘the erosion of British values.’ The game also comes with material for teachers, who are urged to use the resource to ‘demonstrate the local threat picture of extreme Right-wing activities specifically.’
