From immersive virtual worlds to competitive multiplayer arenas, gaming has become part of everyday life for billions worldwide. While the world of gaming can bring about much thrill and camaraderie, there remains the potential for risks such as cyberbullying and data theft.
According to a survey by the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI), 36 percent of youths in Singapore who play online games have interacted with strangers and even shared personal information, and 17 percent have experienced in-game bullying. An additional cause of concern against this backdrop is that, per the survey, close to half (48 per cent) of the victims did not take any action, and only a minority (8 per cent) of youths spoke to their parents about the experience.
Hence, gamers must arm themselves with knowledge and practices that are key to building safe and enjoyable online experiences.
Trash talk and trolling
Our insight from serving a global gaming company indicates that the two most common issues raised for gaming support among players in Singapore and Malaysia are trash-talking (63 per cent) and trolling (46 per cent). While some confrontations with disrespectful players may be unavoidable, cultivating an inclusive community with mutual respect is paramount. A golden rule is to not engage as responding to them often fuels fire and gives them the attention they crave. Alternatively, most online games offer options to mute individual players or report them for abusive behaviour.
Having the right channels to report misconduct
Gamers need to do their part in reporting inappropriate behaviour. Insights from the same global gaming company indicate that close to 65 per cent of players expect quick response times and hence prefer support via live chat and Discord. This probably explains why almost half of gamers do not report such behavior or take any action as they may be of the view that their report will not amount to much. Gaming platforms have made much progress when it comes to tackling bad behaviour.
Examples include the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to screen out toxic content directly and having moderators and player experience (PX) specialists to investigate and address issues. However, it remains essential for gamers to do their part in reporting unsavoury behaviour. It's easy to understand why someone might overlook online misconduct, but every report contributes to a safer gaming environment for everyone. Creating a safe community for gamers involves effort from the community as a whole.
Emerging technologies, evolving threats
In gaming, a winning strategy always entails knowing the enemy. The same can be said for ensuring online safety. The stranger danger principle applies, as seemingly friendly individuals may exploit personal information for malicious purposes. Cybercriminals are likely to approach you under the guise of friendship and seek personal information. To avoid this, players should not add random players to contact lists and refrain from clicking on suspicious links that they receive in in-game chats. With technology constantly changing, new threats are always emerging for online players, which brings me to the next point on deepfakes.
Deepfake Technology
With advanced AI technology, bad actors are making use of deepfake technology to manipulate and harass individuals, with the use of deepfakes having jumped by five times in Singapore in the last year alone. Deepfake creations can be used for fraudulent impersonations for financial gain, fraudulent logins for voice-coded systems, and even be circulated within gaming communities to harass, ostracize or publicly shame. It is a whole new kind of bullying that hurts trust in gaming and also poses serious harm to victims who may struggle to defend their reputations and mental well-being. While they can be hard to detect, the 3A approach (assess, analyze, and authenticate) put forward by CSA Singapore can help gamers better estimate if the content they encounter is real or fake. The approach involves assessing the source, context or aim of the content, analyzing audio-visual elements for inconsistencies, and authenticating using detection tools.
Educating others
Ensuring a safe and secure gaming environment is every gamer's responsibility. It is always good to share knowledge and resources about online safety, responsible gaming practices and mental health awareness within the community. For instance, players should remind one another of the signs to look out for to identify malicious intent and steps to take to prevent the exploitation of personal information. By educating others, players can help promote a culture of safety, inclusivity, and well-being.
Fostering a thriving gaming environment that is enjoyable for everyone requires continued effort and adaptation to an ever-evolving landscape. By championing online safety and implementing best practices collectively and proactively, we can cultivate welcoming spaces where gamers of every age, background, and skill level feel respected, empowered, and free to enjoy the games we love.
The article titled "How to combat online gaming threats" was authored by Rob van Herpen, VP Global Client Solutions – Gaming & Entertainment, TDCX
About the author
Rob leverages 18 years of experience to help gaming and tech companies optimize their CX through strategic outsourcing in areas like Player Support and Community Moderation. Throughout his career, Rob has held leadership positions at various BPOs. Currently, Rob is the VP of Global Client Solutions at TDCX, focused on growing TDCX's footprint in the gaming and entertainment vertical.
No comments:
Post a Comment