Online Gaming And Digital Safety; Moderation And Awareness Should Act In Tandem

I remember the days when gaming used to be a rather isolated hobby. Today, thanks to technological marvels, you are never truly alone. You’re limited to the confines of your home only physically. The moment you dive into an online game, you’re seamlessly connected and become a part of a massive digital ecosystem. It all feels so unreal that a mere two decades ago, this was supposed to be a fantasy.

Yet here we are, witnessing gaming becoming much more than just a one-person endeavour. However, as amazing as it sounds, this technological advancement also brings its own set of woes. As this virtual space continues to grow, so do the concerns about digital safety and protection. You can never be too careful in these matters.

Online Gaming And Digital Safety

If you’re an avid player of online games, I’m sure you’ve faced or at least been aware of many of these problems. All you want is to play a nice competitive CoD session, but the match is filled with cheaters and exploiters; it’s become a common sight. Even your personal information and privacy are not safe, what with all the excessive data collection and the existence of kernel-level spyware. Where should one go to have fun these days?

And this is just one part. When you look at games that present a whole online ecosystem and a virtual landscape, things are even more grim. The whole point of MMORPGs or games like Roblox and Fortnite Creative is to give their players an alternate reality where they are in complete control. When the scale is this big, there’s just so much moderation and monitoring can do.

One overlooked report or unmonitored chat room can spiral into something that leaves lasting damage. Just look at Roblox. The ongoing Roblox abuse lawsuits against the platform paint quite a vivid picture. Crimes and safety concerns are no longer limited to the real world. As they say, every era has its own brand of darkness.

Scams, exploits, cyberattacks, and similar manipulative and suggestive behavior are the sorts of unavoidable issues we face in online platforms these days, and gaming is no exception. Sometimes negligence, other times an honest mistake, leads to chaos. And every time, the same debate arises. Who is at fault? Should the developers do inhuman levels of invigilation, or should the players do their part, too? What do you think?

What Happened to Online Gaming?
byu/YaBoiBooRadley inhacking

The Challenges Of Moderation And Ongoing Efforts

I think we, as consumers, need to understand just how much of a challenge it is to keep an absolute check on the state of things in the ever-growing digital landscape. You and I go straight to complaining when something happens (no offense intended), instead of seeing just how impossible it is to plug every gap in the system. Every new feature or tool opens the door to fresh opportunities for abuse; the countermeasures can’t keep up.

Both automated filters and human moderators have their obvious limits, and it’s completely understandable. Still, praise where due, genuine efforts are being made these days to implement digital safety to the highest possible levels. As Wired’s report on developers’ ongoing struggle with online safety points out, studios are still searching for realistic ways to protect players without stifling creativity. 

All online video games should require a government issued ID to create an account.
byu/Astecheee inThe10thDentist

The challenge lies in that last part. Now you don’t want your game to turn into the Half-Life world with the moderators being the Combine, do you? No one wants that kind of absolute control over their actions; the game no longer remains fun. Finding the balance is key. 

The Future Of Player Protection

As online gaming continues to evolve, so does the threat of compromised digital safety. But do note that there are always two sides to a scandal. If it’s a result of negligence, go ahead and criticize it; you have the right. But it’s only logical to acknowledge the moderation challenges as well. A perfect safety net is just not possible; we need to separate fiction from reality and try to play our part as well, instead of asking the impossible all the time.

To that end, I’m somewhat relieved that digital safety is becoming a priority. Sony, for instance, has explored technology that automatically detects and flags unethical actions during play. This shows that we can expect a bit safer online gaming in the future. But again, it all depends on awareness and players making an effort to protect themselves.