Serious Game May Help Track Missing Kids

GameSpot reports on a title announced at this year's Women Games conference. A University of East London project called Lost and Found may bring some sense of social responsibility to gamers when it is eventually rolled out to cell phones. Much like PeaceBomb , the game envisioned by Harvey Smith at the 2006 Game Designer's Challenge, Lost and Found will try to assist gamers in finding missing people via smart-mob activities. "Users can, for example, sign up for alerts when someone goes missing in their area, and if they see someone who resembles a photo of a missing child, take a photo, which will alert authorities to the possibility that an abducted child is nearby. The game will also present people with a series of objectives and mobilize groups to block roads and search fields."

Roadblocks?!

[Perseid]

Am I the only one who sees bad things coming out of bored college students setting up roadblocks?

Re:Sounds good...

[dosboot]

Yea, not only do generally avoid looking at other people on the street I also don't see myself taking their pictures. Who wants to be stopped and harassed for taking pictures of other people (even if you have every right to)?

"Sorry you just look like someone the police are trying to find. One sec, I'm sending them your picture and location right now. Well, see ya!"

The NRA "buddy beacon"

[Animats]

The red state version of this would be Helio's "Buddy Beacon" for NRA members. If you're in trouble, you punch the panic button on your cell phone, and all NRA members within a mile or so get an alert. In two minutes there's enough firepower on site for a small war.