The Federal Bureau of Anti-Corruption (BAK) developed an App prototype in cooperation with Höhere
Technische Lehranstalt or HTL (secondary technical school) in Mistelbach, Lower Austria in 2015. This
prototype was further enhanced and has been available at Google Play Store and App Store free of charge
since December 2017. The aim of the App is to raise awareness in young people to matters regarding
corruption, ethics and integrity. App users put themselves in the position of different characters and decide
about appropriate behavior in different dilemma situations.

The main objective was to raise awareness in young people concerning the dangers of corruption. Our initial
question was how to reach this target group and how to appeal to them.
We came to the conclusion that the new media were the tools of choice when striving to reach civil society,
young people in particular, and attempting to raise their awareness with regard to anticorruption issues.
Mobile applications are a preferred medium to obtain and exchange information, particularly for the target
group of adolescents and young adults.
Therefore, the BAK decided to work together with Höhere Technische Lehranstalt or HTL (secondary technical
school) in Mistelbach, Lower Austria, to develop an app. We confronted pupils with the topic corruption and
dilemma situations. As young people were defined as the target group, pupils – young people – were also the
right ones to develop the App.
One of the main challenges was to turn what the school had produced into a professional design, which was
possible finally, with the help of a company specialized in this field.
Furthermore, it was challenging to promote the App.
We produced a 45-second animated promotion video. Its aim is to adequately introduce “CORRECT OR
CORRUPT?” to the target group in social networks and social media, and to inform potential users on
download portals about the app’s functionalities and content.
Additionally, the BAK and the Ministry of the Interior together started a public campaign on facebook and
instagram. The BAK published a competition on facebook: the participant with the highest score won a day
with the Austrian Flight Police. Furthermore, the BAK promoted the App at BAK Anti-Corruption School
Projects, e.g. by distributing postcards on the subject.

For producing the App we found that it was necessary to form a partnership with Höhere Technische
Lehranstalt or HTL (secondary technical school) in Mistelbach, Lower Austria, and its pupils.

School students were intensely involved in the App’s development process, for the App to turn out as target
group oriented as possible. Programming and conceptual preparatory work was carried out by student teams
as part of their final exams.
As described above, the results were really good, but there was still room for improvement in the design of the
App, which was accomplished by a professional company.
In the beginning of 2018 the App was published at both Google App Store and Apple Store.
The App features twelve character levels, to be explored and completed one after the other in a fun and
playful way.
Each character confronts the user with 10 to 15 different situations, with three possible solutions each, one of
which the player will choose. The App puts users in everyday dilemma situations with regard to corruption or
ethically correct behaviour. Once the player has made a decision, this choice has an impact on future
decisions, which illustrates, among other things, the problem of structural corruption. Depending on decisions
made, the App user wins a certain amount of points. Upon successful completion of one character, the player
unlocks the next level. The following hierarchy of characters (levels) is available: high school student –
university student – insurance agent – teacher – athlete – car mechanic – bar owner – police officer – civil
servant at a district authority – doctor – bank clerk – politician.
Pupils have the opportunity to learn how to decide in difficult situations and what consequences their
decisions might entail.
Then, the promotion stage started on websites, youtube and social media, by the mentioned campaign on
facebook and instagram, and by directly announcing the news to our contacts.

Many young people are confronted with the phenomenon of corruption for the very first time when they start
playing the game “Correct or Corrupt?”. They find out how easily they can get into a dilemma situation that
can have penal consequences if they decide in a wrong way.
Result achieved: We have raised their awareness.

The main enabling factor was to catch young people’s attention where they are at; as mobile phones and apps
play an important role in the lives of young people the BAK decided to use these tools to raise awareness. The
cooperation with HTL Mistelbach School was another factor to success, as pupils developed the App for other
pupils, for their own peers.
What was very helpful as well was the playful approach. Young people have to find out for themselves what is
right and what is wrong and what consequences a wrong decision can have. They have to work on their
insights on their own. The App helps them to learn in a playful and humorous rather than in an admonishing
kind of way

The App continues to be available at Google Play Store and at Apple Store, it is fun, and last but not least: it is
available free of charge.

By the App we aimed at raising awareness in young people to matters regarding corruption, ethics and
integrity. We reached our aim by catching pupils’ attention where it is at most of the times: playing around
with their smartphones.

https://www.bak.gv.at/301/praevention_edukation/correct_or_corrupt/
https://www.bak.gv.at/en/Downloads/files/Annual_Reports/AnnualReport_2017_v2.pdf