The gamification of citizenship

This paper outlines the ‘gamification of citizenship’ through a focus on digital rewards, participation and volunteering. In recent years, a proliferation of mobile apps have incentivised behaviour change in various contexts such as health and sustainability. The growth of ‘gamification’ (using elements of game design in non-gaming contexts) in these popular mobile apps is now making ‘good citizenship’ a game to play, with real prizes to be won. A range of apps tackle urgent social and economic issues, such as ‘gamifying’ reducing household energy use to tackle the energy crisis, or to reward volunteering. This paper discusses the wider implications of this new trend for debates on citizenship and raises important questions about the use of gambling style techniques within apps for ‘social good’.