Trash Talking in Online Gaming: What can we do? Is there a solution?
By Kyan Dale Israel
By Kyan Dale Israel
I am a Valorant and Counter-Strike Player, and everytime I play these games there’s bound to be one or two games in a gaming session that I encounter someone saying mean things to me or other players. Of course, I can’t really say the obscenities that I hear in the voice chat and read in the text chat but the point is I see both sexism and racism in these gaming lobbies. It’s a really large problem, especially in online multiplayer games since around 90% of gamers have witnessed or experienced bullying (Preply, 2022). Even big streamers like Kai Cenat who has 3.37 Million Followers on Twitch has experienced racism in chat (DotEsports 2022). It’s not all bad though, since other people have different tolerances of verbal abuse, but when it does happen, it makes the experience bad for everyone in the lobby. I don’t think that we can fully eradicate these instances from happening but we can try to mediate every situation by either muting the player (as some games allow you to) or answering back with positive messages.
Some games give you the option to just mute the toxic player. Like in Valorant for example, I have the option to mute the player in just voice chat, text chat, or both at the same time. In my opinion, using this solution is very effective because it immediately solves the problem of having to hear or read obscenities that a certain individual is hurling at you or the other teammates. It’s like letting the toxic individual talk to himself until they go crazy. Like how the saying goes, “Ignorance is bliss.” The only downsides to the approach is that it’s a quick solution that doesn’t really solve the problem as a whole, your teammates might not know the approach so they might be the in the attention of the toxic individual, and you may not hear the callouts or useful information that the toxic individual occasionally might say (which is key especially in competitive matches).
Another solution is trash talking back. Just joking! According to GetKidas.com, a solution to handling this situation is laughing at what the trash talker is saying so that the trash talker will stop (Kidas 2021). In my opinion this is very effective, to not further anger the toxic player. Another reason why you shouldn’t talk trash to the toxic person is because not only do you might get suspended from talking in voice chat, you also stoop down to the level of the toxic person. Personally, I did talk trash back, and it wasn’t good because the person just said mild insults while I insulted everything about that person. I regret doing it, so you shouldn’t do it.
In conclusion, no matter what insults that a person hurls at you, whether racist, sexist, homophobic, misandristic, or misogynistic you should still treat the person who talks trash like how you would treat others, or just you know mute them. I know it’s hard to treat someone who has absolutely no respect for you and your teammates with respect but it’s needed to make the game a little bit less toxic. Maybe after what you do, people will try to replicate that in their own matches, which can catch on to other people.
by Yonghan Kim
Bullying has taken many forms in the past, however, in our technologically advanced world, cyberbullying has taken the trend. Cyberbullying entails sending, posting, and sharing negative, harmful, and mean content toward others online. However, one manner of cyberbullying that I abhor is cyber-gossiping which can damage someone's reputation with malicious intentions.
Cyber-gossips usually occur when online users share scandalous or unwanted information about a third-party individual with their friends or followers. It has its origins in face-to-face gossip, however, this new modern form of spreading rumors has the advantage of spreading widely and quickly. Moreover, due to the virtual environment's limitations on the extent of information that can be sent through nonverbal communication, there is a greater risk of misinterpretation and the attribution of intentions that do not line up with the sender's actual objectives. Gossiping could be performed by any person of age, but according to a statistical report done by Pew Research Center, 6 in 10 teens use social media platforms Instagram and Snapchat (Vogels et al., 2022). Therefore it could be concluded that the majority of adolescents communicate and share online, which makes them the possible, main source and victims of online gossip. The cause of cyber-gossip could be the catalyst for competition, reputation, or popularity which is reasonable for adolescent behavior. Therefore, could be the cause of disinhibition in the comment sections. It could further be linked to problematic Internet usage, enhance the engagement of teenagers in cyber-aggression and cyber victimization, and operate as a mediator between filial disclosure and cyber-aggression, according to research that has been conducted (Romera et al., 2021).
Although cyber gossip is typical cyber behavior that children exhibit from a young age, research on this phenomenon is still in its development. On one hand, it may be said that this cyber behavior provides the group with a wide range of ways linked to beneficial aspects of social learning, such as informing the group's members about its operations (Grosser et al., 2010), learning how to succeed or avoid failing in social situations (Baumeister et al., 2004), or offering role models for decent gossip that others can imitate. These aspects provide the opportunity to strengthen interpersonal ties and lend cohesion to one’s social group. On the other hand, Cybergossiping can undermine cyber-coexistence by exploiting it to destroy someone's reputation unintentionally. Making this a powerful tool used in bullying to manipulate information and use it negatively to spread rumors or engage in other types of relational violence.
In conclusion, although cyber gossiping may be considered a tool for strengthening social bonds with friends online, it may be used in malicious ways such as spreading rumors which in turn is a form of harassment. Therefore, technology should be used responsibly by everyone, yet many people misuse their newly acquired rights. Always investigate the origins of what you see or read online because anything you post might come back to harm you. Most likely, it's just come back to harm you.
by DS De Los Santos
In our modern-day world with the advancements in technology and the prominence of the internet, it is fair to say that we are now closer and more connected with each other than ever. Although, with all things that can be both beneficial and an issue, one of these big issues would be cyberbullying.
As stated by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, cyberbullying is the act of electronic posting of mean-spirited messages about a person, (such as a student) often done anonymously. Bullying is an issue we have all come across and comes in many different forms. In the context of cyberbullying, it can become crueler and more relentless due to the nature of the internet. With the anonymity of the internet and its ability to relay instant messages from wherever and whenever, it has become easier than ever before to bully others. This then leads to cyberbullying at times being left unpunished due to how it is harder to stop and prevent. Worst of all, with everyone having access to the internet, it has become a very prominent issue, especially for the youth.
In terms of effects on victims, cyberbullying has been known to cause emotional stress and mental health issues to young victims. Research has shown that 32% of kids who have experienced cyberbullying have also experienced at least one symptom of stress (Gordon, 2022). Cyberbullying has also been known to lead victims to other grief issues such as depression, low-self esteem, eating disorders, sleeping disorders, academic issues, and even suicide (Touro University, 2020).
Cyberbully does not only affect victims as well but also perpetrators and witnesses. In the case of perpetrators and those who bully others, they too feel a negative effect. The American Society for the Positive Care of Children (ASPCC) reports that bullies have an increased likelihood of abusing drugs, engaging in unsafe sexual behavior, destructive behaviors, and dropping out of school (Touro University, 2020). In the case of witnesses, ASPCC shows that too has a price to be paid. Witnesses have been known to skip school, use substances such as tobacco and alcohol, feel depressed, and have mental health problems at a higher rate than others (Touro University, 2020).
Overall cyberbullying is a very grave and relevant issue, especially among the youth. Although simple and almost ordinary in nature, it is something that can lead to very grave issues and even death. It might be impossible to fully get rid of, but we must all do our best to combat cyberbullying, or at the very least help the victims, especially the young and vulnerable.
by Myko Neri
Bullying that occurs online, such as on computers, tablets, and mobile phones, is referred to as cyberbullying. Cyberbullying can happen online through social media, forums, or gaming where users can read, interact with, or exchange content. It can also happen through SMS, Text, and applications. Sending, posting, or disseminating unfavorable, hurtful, or malicious content about someone else is considered cyberbullying. It can also involve disclosing sensitive or private information about another individual in a way that causes embarrassment or humiliation. Cyberbullying occasionally veers into illegal or criminal action. In other words we call these types of people keyboard warriors.
A person who engages in angry or aggressive online fights or debates while frequently concealing their identity online is referred to as a "keyboard warrior." There are many keyboard warriors online, mainly in online gaming. Many adults bully children online, surprisingly also vice versa. The words being words are very offensive such as harassing your mom jokes, “no one wants to play with you!”, and “you're so dumb”.Others take trash talking in online games as nothing but others take it to heart.
Seventy percent of adolescents under the age of 18 play video games, making it a common pastime. Some games are single-player or solo games, while others support multiple players. Users can play multiplayer games with individuals they know in person and people they meet online, regardless of whether they are played on a computer, game console, portable system, smartphone, or tablet. In actuality, 65% of gamers of all ages claim to play cooperatively. Video Games come in a wide variety of genres, including fighting, sports, action, and role-playing games. Other instructional games include puzzle games, sandbox/build/construct games, and others.
Given these statistics a lot of minor players play online games. It is not a good environment for them. For they might get permanently damaged in their mental health or they pick up trash talking and think it is cool. Minors get persuaded easily so it is better to make a safe place for them to play games.
Games are meant to be fun and for that purpose here are some tips on how stop cyberbullying in online games.
- playing the game with your child or seeing the game in action to learn how it functions and what a child is exposed to.
- Playing the game with them while regularly checking in with your youngster to see who is online.
- Understanding the security hazards associated with the online gaming groups, social media, and apps your child utilizes.
configuring the privacy and security options for your child's games and apps.
- Teaching kids to behave safely online includes instructing them not to click on links from strangers, not to download bots (software that performs repetitive tasks), not to click on links in gaming forums, not to share personal information like emails, phone numbers, and passwords, not to engage in other players' bullying behavior, and what to do in case they become a victim of online bullying.
In conclusion cyberbullying is no joke and a serious matter. People should know how to hold their temper. They should think before they chat.
by Jiro Cruz
In recent years, technological advancements have given people the ease and accessibility to much more efficient communication and interaction with others through online means. With this sadly came a more efficient way to harass and cause harm to people in so many ways, such as ruining reputation, hurting the relationships of the victim, making them hesitant or afraid to use social media, lowering their self-esteem and more. Hateful and degrading comments and posts can commonly be seen in social media platforms such as twitter and facebook, and with how easy it has become to do these things, cyber bullying has definitely become an issue that needs the social media users’ attention. However, with the much needed urgency of Cyberbullying, there is a side to this issue that I believe is underrecognized, and that is the prevalence of the Bystander Effect.
The Bystander Effect in the online setting is understandably not well understood by most because bystander behavior is affected by so many psychological and circumstantial factors, and is overshadowed by the magnitude at which awareness on Cyberbullying is spread. However, I believe that the Bystander Effect in the online setting is something that people should be informed more about. There are multiple academic articles that have explored the behaviors of bystanders during a Cyberbullying event, which people can use to be inspired to start taking initiative to confront the bystander and learn how to overall deal with the situation more effectively.
Despite being recognised as a serious problem, cyberbullying often goes un-reported by victims due to fear of disclosure, and so one aspect of cyberbullying that merits closer attention is the role of peers or bystanders who observe the incident. Cyberbullying often occurs in group-based situations, and therefore, how young people respond when they witness cyberbullying is important to the process of combating the issue