A study published by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), titled “Hate Is No Game: Harassment and Positive Social Experiences in Online Games 2021,” has found that almost two-thirds of young people, ages 13-17 (62%), have “experienced harassment” while playing games online. The study is from a “representative sample” of the 97 million Americans that play online games.
“Despite public consternation about these games’ relationships to gun violence and morality, a significant number of players had meaningful positive social experiences in online multiplayer shooters,” says the study. They make friends, learn about themselves and others, and find community…“We are hopeful that public and internal pressure will force games companies to confront the spread of hate and harassment in their workplaces and in their games,” it continues.
The study was done in collaboration with Newzoo, a data analytics firm that focuses on video games and esports. In the survey, the ADL sampled 2,206 people, 542 of which were children aged 13-17. The study also found that the harassment came from in-match voice and text chats, alongside gameplay (as players would throw matches, or block others, etc).
Some of the top games associated with the issues are VALORANT, Call Of Duty, Fortnite, Dota 2, and Roblox. While on the other side of the spectrum, some of the most positive social games include Madden and Minecraft. The study still notes that “players either exercised more caution or stopped playing each of these games as a result of harassment.”
(All information was provided by NME)
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