'Fake Date Game' to empower online daters to spot danger and romance scams

Perth researchers have developed an innovative "Fake Date Game" to teach users about online dating safety, helping to identify potential romance scams. 

The game looks like any other chat or dating app, simulating real-life scenarios encountered in the digital world. Users are taught how to spot fake profiles.

Doctor Oliver Guidetti from Edith Cowan University, who created the game, said games present users with various outcomes based on their choices.

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"There are a couple of outcomes, there's a date, there's no date or there's a romance scam," he explained.

"There are about five different buckets of romance scam that you can get.

"There's this information gap that really people are entering the online dating space with not a lot to go by as far as, 'How do I behave? What are the dangers out there I should be aware of?'"  

Anyone aged 18, up to 102 years old, can play and researchers want the whole family to play.

ECU students who have tested the game agree it is a necessity for all generations. 

"Think just how quickly a conversation can go from pretty harmless to, 'Oh that was an odd thing to say' or 'maybe this is a scam'," student Georgia Macri told 9News.

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"My favourite thing about this game is the breakdown at the end. It has explanations in the game about why they're good or bad," student Scott Mather said.

ECU researchers plan to collaborate with other universities and schools to integrate the game into everyday education, fostering online safety and respectful interactions. 

They also intend to develop a smartphone app version of the game within the next six months.

It's hoped the game will be available to the public next year.

This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress.