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CyberPeace Foundation Report: Online Gaming World - Trust and Safety | ||
New Delhi, Delhi, India Today online gaming continues to have become a sky-rocketing business market. It is by no means a small industry. Perhaps, by the last quarter of 2021 approximately about 2.7 billion people globally is believed to be engaged into the segment of playing online games. This is accounting almost one-third of the total population across countries. Factors like increasing smartphone penetration, internet penetration, young population and adoption of digital payments adoption has been determined as major growth drivers for such booming gaming industry.
Online gaming is hugely popular among children and adolescents mostly, though adults also find it as a source of leisure, entertainment and escapism from everyday world. In otherwords, it has become a societal realism of 21st century to continuously be with the quest of attaching self-identity with the innovations of internet and social media, surpassing reality. Online games give children the chance to learn to, collaborate with others, connect with friends around the world, learn new things, and simply have fun.
Risks Attached to Online Gaming
While online gaming is an excellent entertainment outlet, it contains several risks that must be acknowledged and addressed by parents, gamers, and the government. Cybercriminal activity, for example, is something that needs to be contained. Aspects like addiction, cyberbullying, and indecent exposure also need a look. Recently, a 13-year-old boy, died by committing suicide after losing about Rs. 40,000 in an online game named Free Fire in India. A suicide note was discovered at the spot, written by him, apologizing spending the money for the game. In January 2021, a techie took his life after losing money to online gaming. And that is not the end. In the last few years, many children, adolescents and adults have lost their lives, getting trapped into the infamous Blue Whale game.
With precedence’s of multiple incidents of online gaming in mind, CyberPeace Foundation conducted a study with the objective to provide deeper insights towards children, adolescents, young adults and concerned parents. In August 2021, CyberPeace Foundation released an Integrated Report with awareness note and guidance for children, adolescents, parents, and the larger society to save them from being victims of the online gaming world.
With smartphones and unlimited data plans along with games with localized content, live streaming, multiplayer and social elements, the intensity of digital consumption and eventually playing games has become more popular. Major sets of games include - PC games, Web games or Application apps, Consoles and Mobile games. While many countries have put complete ban on online games including India on PUBG, however that is the NOT the end strike to deal with a global world of 21st century, in which we our everyday lives are connected and dependent on advanced techno-virtual applications. The Action must be focused on safeguarding ourselves, our children and the upcoming generations. We at CyberPeace have noticed that strengthening strategies on the following nodes could not just prevent us but to our next-door neighbors as well through eternal sharing.
Some of the Basic Self-Protection Steps are
Teachers/Schools and Parents can a very critical role in preventing children from becoming victims of cybercriminals, bullies, or perverts. To safeguard their children’s life parents can provide uncompromised attention to the lives of their children. Teachers represent faculty and staff who are responsible for using a variety of instructional strategies to address individual students’ strengths and needs, thereby ensuring each student has an opportunity to learn and succeed. As teachers interact with their students while providing instruction, they play a very important role in establishing a safe, supportive learning environment along with parents. Highlighted below are some guidelines specifically what role Parents & Teachers can play:
Governmental Regulations are essential to provide a better environment for gamers. It is especially vital since gaming deals with various age-groups of end users who are being overrun by trolls, cyber criminals, racists, pedophiles, and worse. There are many steps a government must take to protect the interests of the society at large. The regulations stipulate that organizations strictly follow the rules. Governments worldwide find it easy to ban online games. However, that is not the ideal solution to the problem. Other Safeguarding pointers that CyberPeace mechanisms think that the Government can implement for a secure gaming experience for users, include:
Just like we all have certain responsibilities towards creating a Balanced Ecosystem for each other living in this society. Companies comprising the Online business world are bound to bear quite essential responsibilities towards its clients/end users, for whom actually they are able to make a livelihood for themselves. They are accountable to ensure that the gaming experience is not causing detrimental effects to the psycho-social, economic landscape of any individual playing their games. These Guidelines are for the Online Business Industry (Game Developers, Publishers & Marketing):
Gaming can be socializing fun elements but today it has risks attached. The advisory/study by CyberPeace Foundation shall be treated as basic threat protection and awareness generation article beyond national boundaries.
In order to take steps for a better Online Gaming World for its netizens, CyberPeace Foundation would be sharing this report with the Government, the Online Gaming Industries, UN agencies, academia and civil society organizations. To read the full report, visit the official website - www.cyberpeace.org |
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