Mr Benjamin Mok, a senior analyst from the S. This could mean connecting on social messaging platforms such as Discord, which is popular with gamers as they can share photos and videos, and decide within their own communities on the limits acceptable for discussions. These groups may also suggest gamers connect on other platforms outside of the games, as the in-game word filters may be causing them to feel restricted in their discussions. There are also other gaming platforms such as Minetest and Blockland.
ST’s attempts to find such servers by chatting with other users in the game were often met with ridicule and the threat of being reported.īut with reports suggesting that around 58.8 million users are active on Roblox every day, extremist groups have their pick of the litter. The teen was issued a restriction order under the Internal Security Act in January, limiting his movements and preventing him from issuing public statements.
He also used game footage of his virtual avatar to create ISIS propaganda videos, uploading three of them on social media. He took a bai’ah (pledge of allegiance) to an in-game “ISIS leader”, and said his actions in Roblox, such as shooting and killing ISIS’ “enemies”, were intended to mimic his goal to be a real ISIS member. In a recent case in Singapore, the Internal Security Department (ISD) learnt that a radicalised 16-year-old had joined several Roblox servers, which had virtual worlds that replicated conflict zones occupied by terror group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). They have even developed modifications for popular video games, such as a map that allows players to experience the Christchurch massacre in both The Sims and Minecraft and create “white ethnostates in Roblox”. The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism said extremists are also producing and launching their own video games “to generate attention, exploit the popularity of video games and present their ideology in an entertaining and immersive format”. In 2022, the Australian Federal Police warned parents that extremist groups were using popular online games to recruit young Australians by exposing them to dangerous content such as violent re-creations of real-life terrorist events. These worlds also host separate areas – some behind the front doors of digital houses – where more insidious activities via games take place. ST found that users whose first language is not English were also ridiculed, with some called “poor” and “stupid” and compared to animals. These YouTube content creators said children may not be aware of the sexual innuendos behind the cartoon-like characters. In several videos on YouTube, users saw avatars that donned sadomasochistic clothing and beckoned gamers to dungeons. Users with lewd pictures on their avatar’s clothing propositioned others for virtual sex and made rude gestures using their avatars’ emotive actions. While roaming the virtual world, it became quickly obvious that sexual harassment and racial slurs and taunts were rampant on the platform, which allows for open communication through a chat function. Users can play games designed by others and those they create on their computers, tablets and even mobile phones.
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On the free platform Roblox, two-thirds of the users are under the age of 16.Īlthough there is an age verification requirement, there is no official minimum age.
One avatar, JJay0890, was a male lego-like character with no age mentioned. Tucked between endless catalogues with thousands of cute and colourful icons – each representing a different and unique world – are dark corners where idealogues and sexual predators rule, The Sunday Times learnt within four days of creating a profile.
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Gaming platform Roblox is home to an expansive realm in which more than 200 million users play, chat and connect every month as avatars in virtual worlds.īut law enforcement agencies worldwide say such multiplayer gaming platforms are also where sexual predators and extremists lurk, ready to lead young users down rabbit holes where the lines between online and offline worlds are blurred. Holding social messaging and gaming platforms to account is a challenge because they are hosted outside of Singapore. The Online Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill, which targets social media services, does not cover gaming platforms for now.
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