Did Online Gaming Communities Become Unsafe?

The best part of online gaming is spending time with your friends and meeting new people.

It gives the game a whole new dimension, and there's nothing quite like it. Unfortunately, there's always that one guy who takes the trash talk too far or the one who sends you a DM that feels… Off. 

The thing is, the very features that make the game so fun are the ones that open the door to some seriously uncool stuff. The voice chat and the shared missions can be a source of frustration, not fun. 

You might say that you just ran into a bad apple and that's life, but it shouldn't be that way.

And no, no one here is telling you NOT to play. You don't have to quit playing; the entire point of this is to show you that there ARE red flags. Basically, we're trying to raise your awareness. And simply by knowing this, you're better off than those that don't.

Games are designed to be fun. We're just making sure they stay fun.

Where Things Get Problematic

So what happens that makes things go from fun to let-me-go-live-off-grid? And when does it happen?

Let's talk about this. 

(Anonymous) Chat

You're furious at someone from your team because they're 'feeding' or losing your team points because of poor performance. Naturally, you're viciously typing in team chat.

The speed is the point because it keeps the action going. However, it also removes those natural brakes you have in person because you're anonymous. You don't really feel like what you're saying can be hurtful because the person on the other end doesn't seem real. So where's accountability here? 

It flew out the window, that's where. 

Speed and anonymity equal impulsivity, which means people will say and do things in the heat of the moment. That could be trash talk, but it could also be aggressive threats and insults. 

It's Hard to Monitor/Control Player-Created Spaces

Lots of these creative games offer features where players can create their own mini servers, rooms, mini games, etc. Thisis amazing because it's where some of the coolest parts of gaming happen. 

But just try to imagine what this does for moderation. 

It's a total nightmare because how on Earth can you review every custom skin, every hidden room, every conversation, every photo people share? 

You can't. 

So what companies do is, they use automated filters and player reports to block harmful stuff out. Sadly, some things still manage to fly under the radar. 

Private Messaging Changes the Dynamic

Private messages, regardless of where they are, totally change the social dynamic. The conversation goes from the public stage (where you might still have some pressure that forces you to behave) into a one-on-one channel. 

This is where you might get some uncomfortable questions or requests to move to another platform to keep talking.

It goes without saying that you should NEVER agree to it.

Younger Players Are Easier Targets

Almost 80% of all children between 5 and 18 play video games in some way. And they're way more vulnerable than adults. This has nothing to do with intelligence; kids are simply less experienced, making them much more malleable. A younger player is more trusting, and they want to fit in way more than you, and potential abusers are very aware of that. 

In practice, this looks like a cool older player who becomes the kid's friend.

They might offer them gifts, sympathy, and do the best they can to seem nice and harmless. Then, after a while, they'll start asking inappropriate questions or making inappropriate requests.

How to Reduce the Risk

The goal isn't to scare you off but to make you aware of what's happening and how you can help it. 

Your first line of defense is the settings in the game. Go in and play with the privacy options. Limit who can send you friend requests and DMs. 

If you're having your underage child play the game, then you (as a responsible parent) can teach your child about everything bad that can happen online, what to look out for, and what to tell you in case they aren't sure.

The in-game report function is super important, but (unfortunately) it can be limiting in what it can do. For instance, things like hate speech? No problem. But it can't really detect or do something about subtle manipulation tactics.

Your physical location is also a factor here. Toxic behavior looks the same everywhere – Chicago, L.A., Mars, another dimension, etc. But what you do next depends on how your local police handle digital reports and the specific laws in your state. 

For example, a family who lives in Chicago and is dealing with issues in Roblox might decide to get a free consultation with a Chicago Roblox abuse lawyer simply because having a local lawyer deal with your case will make two very important things available to you:

• You can meet up with the lawyer in person.
• The lawyer knows state-specific laws.

The thing to understand here is that, once online abuse escalates, the way you resolve it looks different depending on where you live. 

Conclusion

This article was sort of a buzzkill, right? But, yeah, it can't all be ideal. 

That game you love has another side to it, and unless you know the risks, you could end up blindsided, and no one wants that.

That little energetic spark in your belly that gets you excited whenever you go to log in, don't lose that. But do yourself an (important) favor… You should adjust your privacy settings at least a bit, plus, don't dismiss every weird DM you receive as unimportant, because it just might not be.