As I understand it, the character was *reappropriated* from an *oh exploitable* [publicly funded game *Pathways*][pathways] ([play it][play]) designed to inform students about part of a [public counterterrorism program][contest] for [voluntarily deradicalizing extremists without legal consequences for opting-out][prevent]. The player plays a new college student, Charlie, who runs into scenarios. First scenario: on a sketchy social media website their new friends use, a video is shared, and the player is offered choices: - download the video - ask about the video - tell a trusted adult If the player chooses to download > Charlie downloaded the video and shared it with different people online. > Charlie felt relieved and happy that people were liking the video and also sharing it. > Deep down, Charlie wasn't sure if this was the right thing to do, as some of the ideas in the video were extreme and violent. > It's important to remember that downloading or streaming certain content can lead to a terrorist offence conviction. Apparently, *download* implies more than that, the game bundles unnecessary actions together, & merely downloading/viewing content has legal risks. The other choices aren't much better: an extremist tells Charlie people who care about their country will download & share the video or an adult explains extremism, so Charlie simply doesn't download it. Charlie can't just view the video to judge it: great message for self-reliance & developing the criticism to participate competently in democracy. I'm guessing the other scenarios play out similarly. At some point, Charlie is courted by Amelia, a nationalist teenager with purple hair who Charlie can refer to the deradicalization program. I can see why derision of this game took off & the *alt-right* embraced Amelia as their meme: trolling potential like that is irresistible to pass up. [pathways]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shout_Out_UK#Pathways [play]: https://www.shoutoutuk.org/pathways/ [contest]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CONTEST#Prevent [prevent]: https://www.croydon.gov.uk/community-and-safety/safety/prevent-strategy