The Israel Internet Association (ISOC-IL) is proud to announce the successful launch of “BADOOK!”, its educational mobile game designed to strengthen media literacy and critical thinking among young people. Now available for free on both Google Play and the Apple App Store, the game has attracted significant public interest and garnered hundreds of downloads since its launch, reflecting growing engagement with the importance of helping young people navigate today’s complex online information environment.
As part of the game’s launch, BADOOK! was featured in a televised report on Kan 11 News, broadcast during the evening news edition on September 10, 2026. The segment explored the growing challenge of disinformation among children and teenagers in Israel, highlighting how today’s youth have never known a life without screens, social media, or fake news. The report reached a broad audience, generating approximately 13,000 views and further raising awareness of the importance of media literacy and critical thinking among young people.
“BADOOK!”, which means “It’s checked!” in Hebrew, is the first Hebrew mobile educational media literacy game that teaches students how to verify online content and identify misinformation using the SIFT model (Stop, Investigate, Find, Trace). This gaming platform was developed and implemented under the academic guidance of Dr. Jonathan Mendels from the Mofet Institute, as part of ISOC-IL’s Disinformation Resilience Israel (DRI) project supported by the European Union. The game was designed and created by Rimon studio, directed by veteran Israeli game designer Nimrod Dweck.
Watch the Kan 11 News report on BADOOK!:
BADOOK! is a research-based educational mobile game aimed at strengthening media literacy and fact-checking skills among students aged 10 – 15. In the game, students manage their school’s news page and handle a stream of potential stories, rumors, and content – some reliable, and others incorrect, misleading, or fake. For each item, they must investigate and decide whether to publish it or hold off, using basic information-verification tools and principles – just like in the real world.
View screenshots of the game:
The Kan 11 report also referenced a recent State Comptroller’s warning that Israel’s education system is not adequately addressing the challenges of disinformation and fake news, and that the Ministry of Education’s educational content on disinformation remains limited.
BADOOK! addresses this gap by creating a safe environment where students can experiment with decision-making in a complex information world, experience the consequences of their choices, and practice skills that will accompany them outside the classroom as well. As one student interviewed for the report noted, the game teaches that “not everything you see online is true.”
BADOOK! is available for free download on Android devices via Google Play and on Apple devices via the App Store. Supporting materials, including a teacher’s guide and a player’s guide, are available in Hebrew on the ISOC-IL website.
BADOOK! is the latest addition to ISOC-IL’s growing suite of educational tools designed to strengthen digital resilience and promote responsible online engagement among younger users. By combining gameplay with media literacy education, it introduces information verification skills in a format that is engaging, accessible, and age-appropriate.
The activity was funded by the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of ISOC-IL and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
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Additional information on the game is available in the update below:
ISOC-IL Presents the Educational Game “BADOOK!” at the Games for Change Conference