Gamer’s Voice press comment on proposals to restrict game chat functions

Responding to reports that the Government is considering game chat restrictions for young people, and platforms such as Discord, James Baker, Director of Gamer’s Voice, said:

“Most people remember making friends in their teenage years through hobbies or sports. For many young people today, online games are one of those places. This is particularly true for many young people who have a disability or who are neurodivergent. Restricting younger children is one thing, but stopping teenagers from talking, or interacting with people they are playing a game with risks leaving them isolated from social connections.

“We support education about parental controls, privacy protections, and age-appropriate safety settings. However there are risks to the privacy of all gamers that arise from impose blanket age-checks on games.

“Blanket age-checks introduce privacy risks for adults, and makes it difficult for small communities involved in game preservation to continue, due to the economic cost. Policymakers should be careful not to harm gaming culture, or to undermine the social benefits of gaming while seeking to improve child safety.”

Gamers Voice is a consumer advocacy group for gamers and the UK chapter of the Stop Killing Games campaign.