Microgames as Intervention for Health Misinformation

This study examines whether short, two-to-five-minute "microgames" can inoculate players against health misinformation and disinformation, focusing on a case study with Latino people living with HIV in South Florida. Drawing on inoculation theory, the researchers designed three distinct microgames, each targeting one of three aims: managed access to reliable information, scrutiny of information sources, and mental health hygiene. The games took the form of a COVID-19 trivia quiz, a simulated social media feed called Myth Busters, and a choose-your-own-adventure narrative. The authors argue that small, rapidly playable interventions may be more inviting to hesitant players than the longer, multi-week games typical of misinformation research, and may fit into everyday interstitial moments such as waiting for medical appointments.

The evaluation relied on qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 27 participants, including 12 Latinx people living with HIV, 10 community educators, and 5 infectious disease providers, conducted in English or Spanish. Participants played playable prototypes and rated each game on goal, suitability, feasibility, and cultural appropriateness. All three games were judged effective, culturally appropriate, and easy to play, though the trivia game drew the most criticism for resembling a test and feeling impersonal. The social media simulation prompted participants to discuss community trust, political history, and the influence of friends and government on misinformation spread, while the narrative game received the most enthusiastic response for its emotional engagement.

The authors caution that these findings are exploratory: the sample was small, the evidence is qualitative, and no measured changes in players' knowledge or behavior were reported. Even so, they conclude that story-driven and socially framed short experiences may be especially engaging, and that microgames could either serve as standalone interventions or be integrated into larger games. The paper positions this work as a foundation for larger-scale iterative testing with broader health-vulnerable populations.