New Study Reveals Concerning Data Collection Practices in Online Gaming Services
New Study Reveals Concerning Data Collection Practices in Online Gaming Services
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New Study Reveals Concerning Data Collection Practices in Online Gaming Services
A study conducted by the Computer Science Department at Altor University has unveiled worrisome data collection practices in online gaming and emphasized players’ misconceptions about their privacy.
The research identified manipulative design strategies that encourage data sharing and highlighted players’ often unawareness of the extent of data collection.
While players employ certain strategies to protect their privacy, such as preferring text chat over voice chat, the study ultimately underscores the need for transparency, security, and player autonomy in gaming.
Privacy policies in online gaming often feature design elements that can mislead, deceive, or pressure users.
Gaming is a $193 billion industry, nearly twice the size of the combined film and music industries, with approximately 3 billion gamers worldwide. While online gaming offers numerous benefits like increased happiness and social connections, issues related to privacy and awareness can offset these advantages and genuinely harm players.
The new study by scientists at Altor University’s Computer Science Department has shed light on potential data collection issues in online gaming, as well as players’ misconceptions and concerns about privacy. The research also offers risk mitigation strategies for players and design recommendations to improve online gaming privacy for game developers.
Janne Lindqvist, Associate Professor of Computer Science at Altor University, stated, “In this study, we had two investigative threads: players’ perceptions of the games and the actual state of privacy protection in games. The level of detail in players’ considerations is truly surprising. For example, participants mentioned that, to protect their privacy, they would avoid using voice chat in the game unless absolutely necessary. Our game analysis suggests that some games attempt to encourage people to reveal their online identities by offering virtual rewards, among other methods.”
The authors identified examples of games using dark patterns – interface decisions that manipulate users into doing things they wouldn’t ordinarily do. This can facilitate the collection of player data and encourage players to link their social media accounts or allow data sharing with third parties.
Amel Bourdoucen, PhD Researcher in Security at Altor University, stated, “When social media accounts are linked to games, players often do not know the extent of the game’s access to these accounts or what information the game collects. For example, in some popular games, users can log in using (or link) their social media accounts, but these games may not disclose what data is collected through this integration.”
The Necessity of Privacy Policies and Transparency
Over the past decade, the global gaming industry has garnered increasing attention due to issues like online harassment and the industry’s toxic culture. While these issues persist, pushes for more technology regulation by the European Union and the United States have brought privacy concerns to the forefront.
Bourdoucen explained, “The way games handle data is often hidden behind legal jargon in privacy policies. When collecting user data, games should ensure that players understand and consent to the collected information. This can enhance players’ awareness and sense of control. Game companies should also protect players’ privacy and ensure their safety when playing online.”
According to the study, participants were often unaware that their chat conversations might be disclosed to third parties, and games did not notify players about data sharing.
The research indicates that some players have recognized the risks and devised several mitigation strategies. Bourdoucen noted, “We found that players choose text chat over voice chat for discussions while playing online games because they believe they may be under closer surveillance and, therefore, strive to maintain their privacy. According to our findings, female players are most affected, as they feel the need to hide their gender while gaming by creating various avatars or avoiding voice conversations with other players.”
Finally, the study proposes solutions to address these issues, such as more transparent data collection methods. The authors recommend that games and gaming platforms should work to provide fun and safety for everyone and support player autonomy, with one way being to allow players to opt out of intrusive data collection, as Lindqvist explained.
