In 2025 we will enter a new era of security by the design of our digital playgrounds.
Online games are places where billions of people around the world come together to play, socialize, and relax. However, they are also environments where harassment, hate speech, and violence and preparation for sexual exploration often occur. Today, most players of online games report being a direct target or witness to one or more of these actions. Got a report for 2024 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 over 70 percent of gamers saying they have witnessed such behavior while gaming.
In the most extreme cases, players face violations of their right to privacy and life, for example, when their private personal information is maliciously shared online for the purpose of bullying – so-called doxxing. For example, as early as 2024, a organized hate campaign Launched against small narrative design studio Sweet Baby Inc. He is believed to be pushing a “woke agenda” in sports with his consultancy, with his employees receiving several rape and death threats.
There are many reasons why sports have come to be associated with hatred and discrimination. However, the most important factor is the lack of industry-wide innovation. For example, video games Are are often ignored In regulatory conversations about online security. is proprietary data propertyAnd (understandably) no company wants to be the first to talk publicly about online harms and security challenges. At the end of the day, sports are also business. Talking about one's shortcomings is unlikely to garner shareholder support.
However, in 2025, we will finally start to see industry-wide efforts that prioritize security. Some of these changes will be due to government orders. While video games have long been left out of regulatory conversations, they are thankful for some new initiatives that have recently been implemented. For example, Digital Services Act The European Union requires gaming companies that operate within their venues to submit public-facing transparency reports regarding online harm and the efficacy of their tools to combat them. For the first time, this will allow industry-wide insights into strategies and their effectiveness in the gaming ecosystem.
In 2025, we will also begin to see the effects of efforts to self-regulate the sports industry. Over the past several years, a number of trust and safety initiatives have been undertaken by the sports industry from an ecosystem, industry-level perspective. For example, in 2024 we saw the release of Digital Thriving Playbook From the Thriving in Games group, which provides educational materials and step-by-step guides for game developers on how to build more resilient communities, and provides perspective on issues of trust and safety in games. It also includes content moderation and community management approaches, as well as guides on teamwork by design, trust by design, and building social behavior in gaming communities.
Last year also saw another success with the partnership between Epic Games and International Age Rating Alliance To create internationally recognized ratings for all user-generated content FortniteHistorically, player-generated content has not been rated, leaving users essentially making their best guess at age-appropriateness from the name, image, and description of the experience. The integration of a rating system on user generated content will allow players (and parents) to make more informed decisions about what and how they will play. In 2025, other game makers will follow suit to support players' ability to make informed choices about which user-generated content (out of billions of pieces) is safe and appropriate for them.
Obviously, a safe community does not mean there are no risks. Hate, harassment and other forms of social harm will always exist in some form or another online. But in 2025, the video game industry will finally have more cohesive security strategies to better protect players from societal harm. As the largest media sector in the world, the video game industry is long overdue for this innovation and prioritizing the safety and well-being of players. As I see it, 2025 promises to be a transformative year that will set a new standard for security in our digital playgrounds.