Dangerous Playgrounds: Child Players’ Encounters with Design-Mediated Risks on User Generated Game Platforms and Their Safety Practices
Dangerous Playgrounds: Child Players’ Encounters with Design-Mediated Risks on User Generated Game Platforms and Their Safety Practices
Zinan Zhang,Xinning Gui,2 Authors,Yubo Kou
TLDR
This paper discusses design-mediated risks in UGGs targeting vulnerable child players and challenges and opportunities for risk mitigation strategies in UGGs, and provides design implications for UGG platforms to support child players and provide a safe place for them to play.
Abstract
User-generated game (UGG) platforms such as Roblox have become increasingly popular among children but are also criticized for hosting rampant online risks, such as virtual gang rape and spread of extremist ideologies. However, limited research has explored the risks from child players’ perspectives. Through an interview study with 26 child players, we found three categories of risks: varied scams, the normalization of anti-social behaviors, and adult roleplays. We also identified three types of safety practices child players employed on UGG platforms: adaptive safety practices across different social relationships, applying heuristics to safeguard their safety, and tinkering with safety features. We discuss design-mediated risks in UGGs targeting vulnerable child players and challenges and opportunities for risk mitigation strategies in UGGs. Lastly, we provide design implications for UGG platforms to support child players and provide a safe place for them to play.