Analysts with the Anti-Defamation League say the recent trend of hate speech online in multiplayer games has been disturbing. “We’ve seen an increase in the spread of extremist white supremacist ideology in online multiplayer games,” Daniel Kelley, the director of strategy and operations at the ADL Center for Technology and Society, told WPBF 25 News. ADL has been conducting these surveys of hate and harassment in the U.S. online since 2019. The most recent data was collected between June 21 to July 27 of last year. The sample size is around 2,000 gamers. “Five out of six adults, 86% of people 18 to 45 have experienced harassment in online multiplayer games,” Kelley said. The survey shows that the number of adults exposed to white supremacy speech online has more than doubled to 20%, compared to 8% in 2021. Analysts said for gamers between 10 to 17 years old, about 15% of them marked they had been exposed to white supremacy speech. Kelley said 34% of gamers also responded that they experienced antisemitic speech.”In addition to Jewish people being targeted for their identity, we’re also seeing people who are denying or saying the Holocaust didn’t happen or wasn’t as bad as people say,” he said.Data shows that 30% of young people surveyed said they always hide their identities when playing. “I just usually don’t talk to back to them, or I mute the whole lobby or something. There’s ways out of it now, you can mute the whole lobby, you can mute people. You can turn the chat off. There’s ways around it so it’s just not in your face anymore,” Derek Flores, a gamer, told WPBF 25 News. “The companies need to do something to change the norms in these spaces around enforcement and unless you report to the platform, they don’t know the things are happening,” Kelley said. Watch: Florida representative files House bill to designate certain antisemitic acts as hate crimes WPBF 25 News spoke to one mother about her take on her children playing video games.”As a working mom, I own a real estate company, my boys are 9 and 7. They play video games, it’s just the reality of the times. And as a mom, I feel that we’ve had more control than ever as parents to monitor their online activities,” the owner of Meyer Lucas Real Estate said. “People make friends, and explore their identity, learn about themselves, and other people through games. And the reason why hate, harassment and extremism is so harmful and alarming in these spaces is because they have such potential to be positive social spaces for people,” Kelley said. “If you feel safe in an online game space, you can use the safety that you feel to stand up for others who may feel less safe in that space.”Officials encourage people to report to the gaming company if they have seen or experienced hate speech. Related: First-ever real-time database monitors online antisemitism “Tremendous opportunity for me to educate them on what you say online matters, we live in a digital age, do not put anything in writing that you wouldn’t say to anyone else’s face. Don’t hide beyond the keyboard, don’t hide behind the screen,” Meyer Lucas said. For more information on how to report cases of antisemitism and hate speech to ADL, click here. Follow us on social: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Analysts with the Anti-Defamation League say the recent trend of hate speech online in multiplayer games has been disturbing.
“We’ve seen an increase in the spread of extremist white supremacist ideology in online multiplayer games,” Daniel Kelley, the director of strategy and operations at the ADL Center for Technology and Society, told WPBF 25 News.
ADL has been conducting these surveys of hate and harassment in the U.S. online since 2019. The most recent data was collected between June 21 to July 27 of last year. The sample size is around 2,000 gamers.
“Five out of six adults, 86% of people 18 to 45 have experienced harassment in online multiplayer games,” Kelley said.
The survey shows that the number of adults exposed to white supremacy speech online has more than doubled to 20%, compared to 8% in 2021. Analysts said for gamers between 10 to 17 years old, about 15% of them marked they had been exposed to white supremacy speech.
Kelley said 34% of gamers also responded that they experienced antisemitic speech.
“In addition to Jewish people being targeted for their identity, we’re also seeing people who are denying or saying the Holocaust didn’t happen or wasn’t as bad as people say,” he said.
Data shows that 30% of young people surveyed said they always hide their identities when playing.
“I just usually don’t talk to back to them, or I mute the whole lobby or something. There’s ways out of it now, you can mute the whole lobby, you can mute people. You can turn the chat off. There’s ways around it so it’s just not in your face anymore,” Derek Flores, a gamer, told WPBF 25 News.
“The companies need to do something to change the norms in these spaces around enforcement and unless you report to the platform, they don’t know the things are happening,” Kelley said.
Watch: Florida representative files House bill to designate certain antisemitic acts as hate crimes
WPBF 25 News spoke to one mother about her take on her children playing video games.
“As a working mom, I own a real estate company, my boys are 9 and 7. They play video games, it’s just the reality of the times. And as a mom, I feel that we’ve had more control than ever as parents to monitor their online activities,” the owner of Meyer Lucas Real Estate said.
“People make friends, and explore their identity, learn about themselves, and other people through games. And the reason why hate, harassment and extremism is so harmful and alarming in these spaces is because they have such potential to be positive social spaces for people,” Kelley said. “If you feel safe in an online game space, you can use the safety that you feel to stand up for others who may feel less safe in that space.”
Officials encourage people to report to the gaming company if they have seen or experienced hate speech.
Related: First-ever real-time database monitors online antisemitism
“Tremendous opportunity for me to educate them on what you say online matters, we live in a digital age, do not put anything in writing that you wouldn’t say to anyone else’s face. Don’t hide beyond the keyboard, don’t hide behind the screen,” Meyer Lucas said.
For more information on how to report cases of antisemitism and hate speech to ADL, click here.