“Leveling the Playing Field: UN Experts Tackle Extremism in the Gaming World”

In a sector that has surpassed Hollywood in terms of financial worth – hitting $196 billion in 2023 – these online platforms are evolving into recruitment sites for extremists, sparking an unparalleled partnership between counter-terrorism experts and gaming enterprises.

To address the escalating threat, UN News’s Sarah Daly engaged in a dialogue with Steven Siqueira, Deputy Director of the UN Counter Terrorism Centre (part of the counter-terrorism office, UNOCT) and Leif Villadsen, Acting Director of the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI).

The key officials hosted a significant event on the subject termed New Quest Unlocked on 6 December, which united gaming firms, policymakers, and researchers to tackle violent extremism in gaming environments.

“The concerning trend has called for a collective research effort with the gaming sector and related platforms,” Mr. Siqueira noted, emphasizing how extremist organizations are increasingly targeting gaming environments and associated platforms such as Discord and Telegram.

This interview has been modified for brevity and clarity

UN News: Your collaborative event, New Quest Unlocked, attracted both UNICRI and UNOCT along with gaming firms, policymakers, and researchers. What initiated this partnership?

Steven Siqueira: In the year 2023, the gaming sector and allied platforms represented a $196 billion industry. In contrast, the film industry was around $40 billion, making it five times larger than the film sector.

Terrorists and violent extremist factions are reaching out to young individuals through these platforms, with propagandistic videos increasingly surfacing on Discord, Telegram, and TikTok. This disturbing trend necessitated collaborative research and cooperative efforts with the gaming industry, related platforms, and of course, our members and member nations.

UN News: Recent intelligence assessments indicate the threat level is greater than previously acknowledged. What exactly are you observing?

Steven Siqueira: While gaming has numerous positive benefits regarding global social interaction, there is also an amplified risk that terrorists and violent extremist factions are exploiting these platforms and nearby platforms to disseminate their messaging.

The data is stark: in Australia, around one in five counter-terrorism investigations now involves young individuals, with gaming platforms being implicated in every case examined.

UN News: These revelations contest standard views regarding gaming platforms. How has the scenario shifted?

Steven Siqueira: The industry is not solely accessible to the youth demographic. The average age of gamers is now approximately 30-35 years old, and the gender ratio has become significantly more balanced than in previous years.

UN News: Your research concentrates specifically on Africa’s gaming industry. Why is this region crucial for understanding upcoming challenges?

Leif Villadsen: Africa has indeed emerged as one of the rapidly expanding markets for mobile gaming, boasting an unprecedented 11 percent annual growth rate, representing both a magnificent opportunity and a potential vulnerability.

Our aim is to gain deeper insights into the industry, the community, the strategies employed, and the gaps and challenges in our comprehension of this threat throughout the continent.

UN News: You are creating something referred to as ‘gaming intelligence’ as part of broader global prevention strategies. How will this alter digital security?

Leif Villadsen: Gaming intelligence concentrates on leveraging intelligence from open-source platforms such as games, chats, and social media to monitor extremist content and recruitment actions. This intelligence will contribute to early warning systems designed to detect and counter radicalization at initial stages.

UN News: How vital is artificial intelligence to these global prevention initiatives?

Leif Villadsen: Given the vastness of the ecosystem, we are looking to create and implement sophisticated content moderation tools utilizing AI-driven technology. Yet, as the gaming community hosts personalities with significant followings, we aim to prevent heavy-handed interventions or widespread actions that might be perceived as counterproductive or suspicious by gamers.

It is essential that we engage with the gaming community, private sector firms, and gamers, including young women and men, to educate and foster resilience within the community.

UN News: As we approach 2025, what tangible results will lead to safer gaming environments?

Leif Villadsen: By establishing shared global standards and promoting collaboration among governments, technology firms, and civil society, we can develop a framework for addressing these threats in a more coordinated way.

Steven Siqueira: The Global Digital Compact acknowledges these dual realities of our digital era and advocates for a collective global commitment to ensure that digital arenas are secure, inclusive, and uphold human rights principles.

Ultimately, identifying the appropriate stakeholders in the gaming ecosystem – those who have a voice and are open to comprehending the threat and determining how to mitigate it effectively – could substantially assist in fortifying and enhancing the gaming framework’s resilience against violent extremism.