The Citizenship Foundation was looking for a new way to engage young people with the law. IE proposed an innovative way to achieve this through a mobile app, by using a backdrop of stories around current events and popular culture as the perfect vehicle for young people to explore the day-to-day implications of UK law and the consequences of unlawful actions.

It might be that a TV soap got it spot on with their storyline and portrayal of the law; or maybe a court case that would have taken 18 months to resolve was played out in a few weeks on screen. Comparing and contrasting fact from fiction was an ideal way for the Citizenship Foundation to engage with their audience. In essence, the entertainment does the ‘hard work’ in providing ready-made scenarios that resonate, and the app rides that wave with important educational snippets about everyday law.

How does it work? Users of the app are able to specify categories to follow – Celebrities, Entertainment, News & Culture and Sport – which appear in a twitter-esque feed of stories, generated by a team of content writers at the Citizenship Foundation. Tapping on a story allows the user to read more about the legal issues that surround it and to answer a question on where they think the law stands in that particular situation.

The result of the user’s choice is logged and they are presented with a graph of the proportions of people choosing each option. The answer reveals the correct choice and gives further background on the relevant legal topics.

Interested in learning more? Why not judge for yourself and download the app for free – just search for “SmartLaw” on the Apple or Google Play stores.

Got your own mobile app idea you would like to turn into a reality? Put IE’s digital creatives on trial.