By CHRIS ANDAYA

On Sept. 15 2023, at 5:30 p.m., Ousley Scholar Ashlyn Sparrow introduced Tracked, a game about media literacy, to the Beloit College campus. With over 40 students, game tokens, and bandanas, the game of cat-and-mouse was ready to begin.

What is Tracked?

Tracked is a trading card game based on the internet and the data that is shared within it. There are two equal teams within the game, Users (those who are on the internet) and Trackers (advertisers attempting to collect data). The latter donning blue bandanas and the former donning yellow.

Users have goal cards and data tokens. Trackers have matching goal cards. Users want the delectable pairs of goal cards. Trackers want the mouth-watering data tokens. The result?

Trackers chasing down Users to advertise to them, begging for their personal data.

Users aren’t totally helpless, however, as there are certain “immunities” that they can perform, such as installing an ad blocker or deleting their cookies. To acquire these advantages, Users would have to find some top-secret people giving out the immunities.

At the end of the set 24-time limit, the two teams points are totalled, with users’ cards being worth one1 point and trackers’ tokens which can be worth either one point or five points.

The Beloit college Tracked experience

The person writing this just had to play Tracked for two very important reasons:

 1. It seemed like a fun time

 2. I couldn’t write this article without playing

As our wonderful Ousley Scholar explained the rules, I knew I was destined to be a Tracker. All I wanted was that sweet-sweet data, so I got into line and wore my blue bandana with pride. Students were allowed to start trading the second they left the event.

I already spotted a trade once a mass of students left the venue. Part of me wanted to join them, to start collecting an unsuspecting User’s data, but I waited. I waited because I wanted the thrill, the rush of chasing down a User and just eating up all their little data tokens. I wanted to see a simple glimpse of yellow and know I would be having data for dinner that night.

In all my time as Tracker, I only collected one measly token. A pity token from my lovely girlfriend, who threatened not to hang around me if I attempted to take more from her. I promise you, dear reader, that in the 24 hours of the game, I was on the lookout. I promise you I was trying. I was scouring the campus for any hint of a yellow bandana, but to no avail. I saw no yellow bandanas in my new life as a Tracker.

If you were a User, I want you to know that you were the victor of the battle of you vs. me.

Also, you lost the game.

Game Results

As Ashyln Sparrow’s keynote speech came to an end, she announced the results of Beloit College’s game of Tracked. Trackers scored ~115 points, and Users scored a measly 14.

If you were a Tracker, I want to ask you where you were finding all these data tokens, because, personally, I wish I were you.

In reality, I’m sure the score disparity must have come from unreported scores from Users, or certain Trackers being very enthusiastic about collecting data. Additionally, the top-secret people giving out immunities were never found by any User, surely contributing to the blowout.

Lessons from Tracked

While it was a very enjoyable experience for those playing, Tracked also offered some important lessons in surfing the web. If you don’t want your personal information taken by advertisers, consider safe internet practices, such as deleting your cache and cookies, installing an ad blocker, and encrypting web traffic. While doing these things seems simple, they can protect your data online.

Additionally: Trackers rule and Users drool.

Featured Image Credit: Ashlyn Sparrow, Beloit College