CANADA: Addressing online hate with “a mission in critical thinking”
Governments and educators are concerned about the growing use of the Internet to spread hate and propaganda. Most worrisome is its impact on young people – who are already growing up in a culture in which stereotypes and putdowns are a regular theme in their popular entertainment.
According to research by Canada’s leading media education organization, Media Awareness Network, 12% of Canadian students have encountered hateful Web sites and the majority of students (82%) have never talked to an adult about hate sites or racist content on the Net. Now more than ever, students need to be able to judge for themselves the legitimacy of the information and ideas they encounter. To do this, they need guidance in developing critical-thinking skills—and parents and teachers need education strategies to help young people learn to recognize online bias and propaganda. 
Since misinformation and subtle forms of racism may be difficult to recognize, the free educational game Allies and Aliens: A Mission in Critical Thinking is designed to help young people understand the basics of bias, stereotyping and propaganda techniques on the Internet. In Allies and Aliens players become agents on an intergalactic mission for earth. As players interact with alien characters and visit Web sites on the "Galactic Web", they come across varying degrees of prejudice and discrimination. These interactions help young people playing the game to understand how such messages can promote hate.
The game also helps kids understand the difference between fact and opinion, and the importance of authenticating online information, ultimately sharpening young peoples’ research and verification skills.
Allies and Aliens is accompanied by an extensive Teacher's Guide (PDF) which is also available free online.
