In the rapidly evolving landscape of online gaming, platforms like Roblox and Minecraft stand out as global phenomena, captivating millions of young players daily. Unlike traditional video games developed and controlled by large corporations, these platforms empower users—often children and teenagers—to create, customize, and share their own gaming experiences. This democratization of game design introduces unique opportunities but also amplifies safety risks intrinsic to the user-generated content ecosystem. Recent research led by Penn State’s Health and Play Lab, spearheaded by professors Yubo Kou and Xinning Gui, delves deeply into these challenges, revealing how families, especially siblings and peers, play a pivotal role in safeguarding young gamers.
Roblox boasts over 100 million daily active users, while Minecraft attracts approximately 25 million daily players. Both platforms provide an accessible environment where beginners can utilize tools such as Roblox Studio to design intricate games ranging from puzzles to immersive roleplaying scenarios. The sheer volume and variety of user-generated games (UGGs) present a monumental task for moderation, given that anyone can publish content without stringent oversight typical of professionally developed games. This unrestricted freedom, while fostering creativity and community engagement, exposes child players to a spectrum of hazards, ranging from fraudulent schemes to inappropriate social interactions.
The research conducted by Penn State’s team involved detailed online interviews with 26 children aged 7 to 15, all under parental observation. By meticulously analyzing over 500 data points gleaned from these conversations, the researchers identified three principal categories of online threats. First are the varied scams permeating the gaming environment, which include deceptive player-to-player interactions and fraudulent games designed to siphon virtual currency purchased with real money. Secondly, the normalization of anti-social behavior, such as simulated depictions of terrorism and gratuitous violence, emerged as a pervasive risk. Lastly, exposure to adult-themed roleplay, including sexually explicit content, poses significant psychological and developmental threats to young users.
One of the fundamental challenges underscored by the study is the inherent difficulty in moderating UGGs. Unlike blockbuster titles like World of Warcraft or League of Legends, where game developers bear legal and ethical responsibilities to regulate content, user-generated platforms diffuse this accountability. The analogy drawn by lead author Zinan Zhang likens the moderation impediments in these gaming ecosystems to those encountered by social media giants—both environments inundated with vast quantities of user-driven content that require community policing through reporting mechanisms and trust-based systems.
Crucially, the study highlights a gap in parental mediation. Children frequently withhold information about risky online encounters from their parents due to fear of restrictions or misunderstandings. Here, siblings, extended family members, and peers emerge as essential informal safety agents. These individuals, often closer in age and more familiar with contemporary gaming trends, function as intermediaries who can share experiential knowledge, warn against scams, and provide emotional support. This dynamic bridges the intergenerational digital divide and compensates for the challenges parents face in fully monitoring gaming interactions.
Further scrutiny unveiled specific safety strategies that children intuitively employ. Adaptive social practices include engaging in open discussions with trusted friends and siblings about suspicious game features or dubious player behaviors. Children also develop heuristics or mental shortcuts—such as only accepting friend requests from known acquaintances or waiting to build longer-term interactions before trusting new players—which serve as preliminary filters against potential threats. Additionally, many minors experiment with in-built platform safeguards, tweaking settings like chat filters and age restrictions to reinforce their digital boundaries.
The phenomenon of “co-play,” where parents actively participate in gaming sessions alongside their children, is posited as a promising approach to augment parental understanding of online risks. By entering the shared virtual space, parents can witness firsthand the complexities and potential hazards their children encounter, thereby fostering more informed dialogue and joint problem-solving. This co-navigational strategy extends beyond mere supervision; it cultivates a collaborative family environment conducive to ongoing education about digital safety.
The nuanced social interactions within these user-generated worlds often mirror real-life complexities, amplifying the importance of social development and relational dynamics among young players. The study’s insights into scenarios such as a child’s participation in a “murderer and sheriff” roleplay illustrate how gaming narratives can evoke both engagement and concern, especially when players hesitantly conceal parts of their experiences from parents. This secrecy underscores the need for trust-based communication channels within families, allowing children to express apprehensions without fear of punitive responses.
Moreover, the research emphasizes that the challenge is not merely about filtering harmful content but understanding the broader sociotechnical context in which young gamers operate. User-generated games represent intricate ecosystems where design mediation—choices about game mechanics, narratives, and interaction modalities—shapes the risk landscape. The open-ended nature of these platforms demands adaptive safety frameworks that combine technological tools, social relationships, and educational interventions tailored to children’s developmental stages.
Penn State’s study also reflects on the broader implications for policy and platform governance. There is an urgent need for collaborative efforts involving game developers, parents, educators, and researchers to enhance moderation capacities without stifling creative expression. Emerging technologies such as machine learning-driven content analysis may supplement human oversight, but the fundamental element remains fostering resilience and digital literacy among young users and their support networks.
This investigation draws significance beyond the realm of online gaming, contributing valuable perspectives to the study of child socialization, technology ethics, and information science. The involvement of academic collaborators from Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the University of Oregon enriches the multidisciplinary approach, with support from the U.S. National Science Foundation underscoring the societal importance of this research.
In summation, as user-generated gaming platforms continue to thrive, balancing innovation with safety becomes paramount. Recognizing the subtle yet vital role of siblings and peers introduces a new dimension to child protection strategies in digital contexts. By integrating adaptive social practices, heuristic learning, and cooperative family engagement, we can better equip children to navigate the dynamic and sometimes perilous terrains of online play. The findings from Penn State’s research illuminate a path forward—one that embraces community-based safety, technological responsiveness, and open communication, ensuring that the virtual playground remains a space of creativity and joy rather than danger.
Subject of Research: Child safety and risk management in user-generated online gaming platforms
Article Title: Dangerous Playgrounds: Child Players’ Encounters with Design-Mediated Risks on User Generated Game Platforms and Their Safety Practices
News Publication Date: 23-Jun-2025
Web References: DOI: 10.1145/3713043.3728858
Image Credits: Penn State
Keywords: Video games, Children, Siblings, Social sciences, Information technology, Social media, Social relationships, Social development, Human social behavior, Social networks
