Ubisoft Involves Police in Battle Against Toxic Gamers
Ubisoft's system enables police to intervene much more quickly in online stalking situations. The publisher is encouraging other companies in the industry to launch similar initiatives.
Every person who has ever participated in an online game is aware of the inherent percentage of toxic players who feel impunity. Ubisoft decided to take the scope and seriousness of this problem to heart and implemented a new harassment prevention system.
When advertising a one-of-a-kind system of cooperation between Ubisoft's Consumer Relations Center and local police departments, director Damien Glorieux confirmed (via BBC) that Ubisoft is trying to set an example for other companies and start a new wave of concern for player safety. But how does the French publisher want to accomplish this?
The agreement between the police and Ubisoft is based on two modes:
- Police officers trained in virtual stalking share their knowledge with the Center's staff with general training and advice focused on specific cases;
- in critical situations, when the Center's staff fears for the lives or health of players, they contact the officers assigned to cooperate directly, for the quickest possible resolution.
Although Ubisoft's close cooperation with the police may cause concern, in practice only less than 0.01% of cases that come to the Center require police intervention. Andrew Holliday, who handles these most serious cases, says:
"It's not just a gaming problem, it's an Internet problem. We have a real appetite for making the whole ecosystem a better place.
What we are working closely with the police on is segregating cases. We look at a case and decide - is this something we can handle internally? Or is it something we need to pass on?
We have had cases where things have been said and behaviors have been shown that exceed our threshold for intervention, there has been a threat to life or serious harm to health. The agreement with the Northumbria police meant that when we pointed out a player, even though he was not a UK citizen, officers were able to involve Norwegian authorities. This was much faster, more efficient and safer than trying to do it as a private citizen."
The officers involved also acknowledge that this cooperation is simply one of the new needs of today's world and part of the ever-evolving job of a police officer.
Do you think this is a step in the right direction or an overreach?
