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Kids, forget console gaming—play the FBI’s browser-based game instead

FBIAfter months of delay, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has unveiled an online educational site for children.

The bureau's "Don't Be A Puppet: Pull Back the Curtain on Violent Extremism" program is designed to sway kids from falling prey to violent extremists. It's a great concept, as we often hear of one prosecution after another of somebody in the US being apprehended after wanting to join ISIS and succumbing to the terror group's online recruitment tactics. The site, which surprisingly lauds the First Amendment, teaches kids about propaganda, symbols, and "groupthink." It talks about "what is violent extremism" and, among other things, how violent extremists make contact. But here's where things go awry: On the site, which debuted days ago, there's a free video game called The Slippery Slope to Violent Extremism. It basically looks like a prequel to the world's first-ever video game.

The player uses the left- and right-arrow computer keys to move a running goat to avoid blocks.

The blocks apparently represent violent extremists. Hit the block, and the goat explodes. Here's the game's instructions: Use the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard to move the goat side to side.

Avoid the blocks, cross each finish line, and wait for the distorted logic text to appear before continuing. Use the spacebar to start over if you crash.

The game will end after you finish all six levels or use up all of your attempts (shown in the upper right corner of game). That "distorted logic text," however, appears to be taken right out of the playbook of any US politician inciting violence or war.

There are phrases like "We must defend our traditions;" "The enemy is responsible for this injustice;" and "Our Violent Actions will result in a better future." This is how the FBI describes the site: The site doesn’t refute violent extremist beliefs point by point or discuss matters of faith or politics.
Instead, it makes teens aware of the destructive reality of various forms of violent extremism, including hateful attacks based on race, religion, or other factors.

Through its Don’t Be a Puppet theme, the program encourages teens to think for themselves and display a healthy skepticism if they come across anyone who appears to be advocating extremist violence. "We want teens to apply their critical thinking skills to this issue just like they would to any subject in school,” said Jonathan Cox, an FBI spokesman. "We’re saying, ‘Don’t be a puppet,’—in other words, don’t just blindly accept what violent extremists tell you or you could end up being controlled and manipulated by people who want you to hurt or kill innocent people." The site was to have gone live in November, but it was reworked after members of the public who got a preview said it focused too much on Islamic extremism.

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