Today, Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox have announced a shared commitment between the three companies to make gaming safer for everyone. The statement reads: “We believe gaming is for all people of all ages, including our youngest and most vulnerable players. Technology makes compelling entertainment experiences possible, and we want to ensure that those experiences – especially when they involve interaction with others – are positive and respectful. All players deserve to have fantastic social gaming experiences in settings where respect and safety are mutual.” Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox believe that “protecting players online requires a multidisciplinary approach – one that combines the benefits of advanced technology, a supportive community, and skilled human oversight.” They will each utilize three principles to guide their work to make gaming safer: Prevention, Partnership, and Responsibility.
With Prevention, the three companies want to empower players and parents to understand and control gaming experiences. In order to do this, Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox will provide controls that let players customize their gaming experience and support parents with the tools and information necessary to create appropriate gaming experiences for their children. They will also promote the availability of their safety tools through their platforms, support channels, services, on their websites, and in retail stores to reach more players and parents; and they will ensure that the safety features will be easy to use. Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox will also invest in technology to help thwart improper conduct and content before a player is subject to harm as well as inform parents and players through their codes of conduct, terms of use, and their enforcement practices.
With Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox committing to a Partnership, they said that they are also committing to partnering with the industry, regulators, law enforcement, and their communities to advance user safety. “The industry’s commitment to safety is central. We believe that we have an opportunity to collaborate for the benefit of the video game industry and all players to offer a safer gaming experience,” Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox said.
Regarding Responsibility, the three companies want to hold themselves accountable for making their platforms as safe as possible for all players. They will do that by making it easy for players to report violations of the codes of conduct, and in addition to removing content, taking appropriate enforcement actions for violations, including restricting players from using the services. They also will comply with all local laws and will respond to all lawful requests from law enforcement, prompting notifying law enforcement of unlawful conduct or if there is a situation of a player that is at risk of imminent harm.
The joint statement ends with “protecting players can be challenging in a digitally and often instantaneously connected world. This partnership signifies our commitment to work together to improve player safety and ensure gaming remains truly for everyone. While the video game industry has a long history of taking steps to protect gamers, especially children, we recognize that no company or industry will solve these challenges alone. We welcome others to make and share similar commitments to players everywhere.”