Waste of the Day: ‘BLM Escape Room’ Got Fed. Funding

Topline: The University of Washington has received $1.2 million from the Institute of Library and Museum Services since 2021 to “combat misinformation,” with programs including a Black Lives Matter-themed “escape room” and “digital play-based activities” for children.

What is an escape room?

Key facts: The university’s Information School created two escape rooms: one about Black Lives Matter and one about the Korean boy band BTS.

The university’s grant proposal reasons that since BTS fans are “extremely active and powerful on social media,” they may be exposed to misinformation. “There is also a chance that other parties may attempt to manipulate information to use the influence of the fandom for financial or political reasons,” the proposal says.

Researchers tested the escape rooms in 10 public libraries and created a “design kit” to help other libraries replicate the project. That was followed by a “broad dissemination campaign” to drum up interest, funded by a $250,000 federal grant.

“The aim was to elicit feelings of vulnerability, challenge people’s preconceived notions, and cause participants to reflect on the consequences of spreading misinformation,” according to the university’s website.

A second $250,000 grant helped the university start misinformation classes for children and teens in libraries in four different states. One activity asked participants to play the video game Minecraft as a metaphor for “being lost in the maze of misinformation.” Another program included a “facilitation guide” to help teens pass on the training to younger children.

The third grant, worth $750,000, will train librarians around the country to host “misinformation seminars.”

Search all federal, state and local government salaries and vendor spending with the AI search bot, Benjamin, at OpenTheBooks.com.

What constitutes misinformation?

Supporting quote: The University of Washington’s grant proposal reads:

The experiences of Black people involved in BLM, and documentation from research, offer extensive cases that can be used for creating an escape room that supports the Black community’s efforts to learn about and better resist misinformation. It does so by offering an opportunity for Black people to create their stories about how misinformation targets their community, while also helping to increase awareness for everyone.

Summary: The only information the University of Washington is proving is that there is no escape from wasteful government spending.

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This article was originally published by RCI and made available via RealClearWire.