Making Headway Against Online Anti-Social Behaviour: A Long-Awaited Progress

For nearly two decades, the gaming industry has grappled with the issue of online anti-social behaviour, from the early days of philosophical debates about freedom of expression to the current commercial realities where such behaviour directly impacts revenue. Despite the urgency to address this issue, tangible progress has been scarce, with the problems of abusive conduct and hate speech seemingly worsening over time. The recent introduction of a new enforcement system by Xbox, which includes a 'strikes' system for players engaging in anti-social behaviour, is a step in the right direction but may not be sufficient to stem the tide. This system, while well-intentioned, assumes that perpetrators are unaware of the rules, which may not always be the case. Many trolls and abusive players are fully aware of the boundaries they are crossing, and their actions are part of a 'game' they play to cause distress and disrupt the experience of others. Policing online behaviour is complicated due to the diverse range of behaviours involved, from in-game griefing to 'heated gamer moments' and more complex forms of trolling. Game companies have often been too lenient with these behaviours, which can set a negative tone for in-game communications and embolden other players to push boundaries further. Effective countermeasures against these behaviours are either prohibitively expensive, requiring significant human moderation, or they constrain game design by limiting in-game communications. The use of AI for rapid enforcement and filtering presents potential opportunities but also risks, as it may offer shallow solutions to a deep and complex problem. Training AI to recognize patterns of abuse rather than just identifying certain phrases as abusive is necessary but challenging. The coming years will likely see experiments in this field, with AI potentially creating more work for moderators rather than alleviating it. Companies must recognize that AI is not a replacement for human oversight and that coordination among industry players is necessary for effective solutions. The issue of online anti-social behaviour affects not just the gaming industry but social networks as well, with significant commercial interests at stake, including reputation, player retention, and monetization. Ultimately, addressing this problem will require a multifaceted approach, acknowledging the complexity of the issue and the need for both technological and social solutions.