US lawmakers take aim at gaming’s “harassment and extremism” problem

TL;DR

Recipients of the congressional inquiry will reportedly include a veritable who's who of major video game publishers, including Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Epic, Microsoft, PUBG Corp, Riot Games, Roblox, Sony, Square, Take-Two Interactive, Tencent, Ubisoft, and Valve.In a letter sent to Valve and obtained by Vice, Hassan points to the "pervasive" use of "terms and images commonly associated with neo-Nazi, extremist, and racial supremacist ideologies" on Steam."The exposure to explicit, unambiguous, and pervasive symbols, visuals, and words and phrases associated with racial supremacy, neo-Nazism, antisemitism, gender-based violence or harassment, homophobia, and other hateful and harmful ideologies restricts and inhibits many Steam users from participating in communities free of harassing, abusive, and threatening behavior," Hassan's letter reads, in part.Both letters cite a recent report from the Anti-Defamation League, which suggests 15 percent of gamers aged 10–17 and 20 percent of adult gamers were "exposed to white-supremacist ideology and themes" via multiplayer games in 2022.The letters also come amid the ongoing trial of David DePape, who allegedly attacked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband at their California home in October."

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