Online gaming: A free pass for bad behavior?
Mr. Rüdiger, is it possible that this topic is not yet strongly anchored in the consciousness of gamers? “It’s just a game,” is often said. Or: “Different laws apply in the virtual space.”
I really think that is the case. Only through the possibility of easily playing together with many gamers worldwide have many problematic situations arisen.
This is not comparable to earlier private network sessions or when using the split-screen mode. There, one usually knew the other players and could make sense of their behavior. Many players today can certainly tell stories of being insulted, threatened, harassed, flamed, cheated, having their accounts hacked, or encountering extremist or sexist comments and content.
Worldwide, there are already many cases that have led to criminal consequences. Whether one finds that good or not is debatable. However, it must be noted that gamers around the world can also be criminally liable for their behaviors in games. Every gamer should keep that in mind.
Do you feel that society takes the risks in online games less seriously?
I truly believe that for many older individuals – including parents – the gaming scene is one of the last really big mysteries in the social media sphere. I particularly see this as critical in the area of raising awareness of sexual predators.
Parents worry about the possibility of their children being sexually harassed on Facebook or in a regular chat (so-called cyber-grooming). However, many are not even aware that such incidents can happen in virtual worlds like Habbo Hotel, Quizduell, or Clash of Clans. I would also like to briefly mention the “Operation Game Over,” during which thousands of individuals were banned from games.
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