“RAYUELA uses play and behavioural analysis to help young people”
TECNALIA involved in RAYUELA, a European initiative to develop an innovative methodology
TECNALIA is taking part in RAYUELA, a European project to develop an innovative methodology based on a serious game that combines digital education, cybersecurity and the analysis of human behaviour, with the aim of taking more effective steps towards preventing cybercrime among young people.
The internet is part of the everyday lives of children and teenagers. It is where they learn, socialise and access information. However, it is also an environment in which they are exposed to threats on an increasingly frequent basis, such as cyberbullying, phishing and disinformation.
Learning to recognise digital risks
The initiative focuses on prevention as a key tool for tackling the challenges of online safety.
- Young people are presented with situations inspired by real-life problems in the digital world through an interactive, multilingual video game developed in Unity.
- The various stories tackle issues such as cyberbullying, online hate speech, online sexual harassment, disinformation, fake news and deception, enabling participants to gain a better understanding of the risks and develop skills to identify and manage them in their day-to-day lives.
Understanding behaviour in order to preempt it
In addition to its educational aspect, RAYUELA makes it possible to analyse the factors that influence young people’s decision-making when they interact in digital environments. An analysis of risk factors has shown that certain factors, such as the amount of time spent online, gender, social support and family communication, are particularly significant across all of the cybercrimes considered and, therefore, warrant special attention in prevention initiatives.
This approach makes it easier to move away from models centred on reaction and punishment towards others based on education, awareness and preemption.
Looking beyond the video game itself, RAYUELA also incorporates principles of ethics, privacy and data protection from the design stage, ensuring that the fundamental rights of young people are respected.
Impact beyond the classroom
The project’s findings are already being put into practice in prevention and awareness-raising initiatives in various countries.
- In Spain, the “Ayudar a Prevenir” (Help Prevent) programme, run by the Valencia Local Police, uses the resources developed to raise the awareness of students about risks such as cyberbullying, the grooming of minors and human trafficking.
- In Portugal, the Polícia Judiciária has adopted the RAYUELA video game as the central focus of its national “Missão Cibersegura” (Cybersecurity Mission) campaign, through which it visits schools to raise pupils’ awareness of cybercrime.
- The impact of this initiative has spread internationally, notably through the Federal Police of Brazil, with the aim of learning from the experience and rolling it out in schools across Brazil.
This expansion and international interest have led to a new project aimed at developing new adventures and educational content focused on preventing cybercrime and raising awareness about it in the online environment.
This work has allowed TECNALIA to strengthen its activities in the fields of cybersecurity, digital education and the analysis of human behaviour, and contribute to the development of innovative tools to help build a safer internet for future generations.