Find the Fake: Combating health misinformation with a chatbot game

Problem
In Jordan, health misinformation spreads quickly through messaging apps like WhatsApp. With low digital literacy and high levels of social sharing, false claims about vaccines and public health were gaining traction. The Ministry of Health needed a scalable, accessible solution to help people identify and resist misleading information.

Solution
At the World Bank, I helped develop Find the Fake, a gamified chatbot that delivers a "prebunking" experience through WhatsApp. Prebunking exposes users to false or manipulative content examples, helping them recognize similar real-life patterns. The game uses local language, relatable scenarios, and immediate feedback to teach users how to spot misinformation.

Key Features:
- Delivered entirely through WhatsApp, the country’s most widely used messaging platform
- Interactive storyline, quizzes, and badge rewards to keep users engaged
- Designed to be accessible for users with low digital literacy

Results
We tested the tool with 2,851 social media users through a randomized study.
- 32% improvement in recognizing misinformation tactics
- 56% reduction in intention to share false headlines
- Balanced examples helped users identify false and accurate information, improving trust without increasing skepticism.
This chatbot game proved a practical, low-cost way to boost public resilience to health misinformation.

My Role
- Product design and UX research. Developed and tested multiple chatbot formats with local partners and users
- Stakeholder coordination. Worked with Meta, the donor, the Jordan government, and World Bank teams
- Impact evaluation. Contributed to study design and co-authored the policy research paper