Posted by Alumni from Wired
January 6, 2025
Online games are spaces where billions of people worldwide come together to play, socialize, and unwind. However, they are also environments where harassment, hate speech, and grooming for violence and sexual exploration frequently occur. Today, most players of online games report being a direct target or witnessing one or more of these actions. A 2024 report found 82 percent of players report being a direct victim, and 88 percent report witnessing some form of so-called "toxic" behavior. Sexual harassment and hate speech are quite common, with more than 70 percent of game players saying they have witnessed these behaviors while gaming. In the most extreme cases, players face violations of privacy and their right to life, for instance, when their private personal information is maliciously shared online for the purpose of intimidation'so-called doxxing. In early 2024, for instance, an organized hate campaign started against the small narrative design studio Sweet Baby Inc. Believed... learn more