Gaming companies are coordinating with the FBI and Department of Homeland Security to root out so-called domestic violent extremist content, according to a new government report. Noting that mechanisms have been established with social media companies to police extremism, the report recommends that the national security agencies establish new and similar processes with the vast gaming industry.

The exact nature of the cooperation between federal agencies and video game companies, which has not been previously reported, is detailed in a new Government Accountability Office report. The report draws on interviews conducted with five gaming and social media companies including Roblox, an online gaming platform; Discord, a social media app commonly used by gamers; Reddit; as well as a game publisher and social media company that asked the GAO to remain anonymous.

The Anti-Defamation League has testified to Congress multiple times about extremists’ use of gaming platforms. In 2019, ADL’s then-senior vice president of international affairs, Sharon Nazarian, was asked by Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla., if gaming platforms “are monitored” and if there’s “a way AI can be employed to identify those sorts of conversations.”

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[–] [email protected] 138 points 9 months ago (6 children)

So this isn't about actual gamers, this about bad actors looking for chuds to recruit through games, which is not a new concept. It used to be chat rooms, and then forums, then social media, now games (as many have social features).

I mean the US military, among others, have been using gaming to recruit people already.

[–] Rezbit 48 points 9 months ago (4 children)

Officially, the military does not recruit anyone under age 17. In this case, “recruit” means the formal process of signing a legally binding agreement to enlist. The military does, however, advertise to and interact directly with minors for the purposes of military recruitment.

Grooming. Non-sexual grooming. Just wonderful.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 9 months ago

I was in the Australian airforce cadets from 12 until 18 at which point i went to join the airforce but got am apprenticeship at the same time that paid more.

Many of my friends enlisted though.

Its certainly grooming, though

[–] [email protected] 11 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I mean they show up to schools to tell kids about military careers and jrotc and stuff.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

Thanks GW Bush!

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Are they pretending the JROTC doesn't exist? The US military absolutely targets minors under the age of seventeen for recruitment.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

I think that's the point, not ignoring it. They don't have them literally sign up, but they do everything they legally can to capture them.

[–] masquenox 5 points 9 months ago

The recruitment starts the minute they pressure kids into worshipping a piece of colored fabric.

[–] LaunchesKayaks 28 points 9 months ago

Someone tried recruiting my sister and a couple of her Special Olympics teammates into the Marines in Rec Room. I got on my sister's mic and told the dude to fuck off and to stop preying on obviously vulnerable people. He was so pushy with his recruitment, that he was making my sister uncomfortable. She asked him to stop and he didn't. After telling the dude off, I advised my sister and her teammates to try a different game for a bit. It was disgusting to see this dude try to get people with intellectual disabilities to literally throw their lives away for a country that's constantly fucking them over.

[–] Archelon 17 points 9 months ago

Hell, Steve Bannon got his start using WoW gold farms to find and target lonely young men.

https://www.wired.com/2016/09/trumps-campaign-ceos-little-known-world-warcraft-career/

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago

Jack Teixeira.

[–] masquenox 3 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I mean the US military, among others, have been using gaming to recruit people already.

Somehow I don't think that's the kind of extremism they'll be clamping down on...

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

Didn't say it was. It was an example of a group that has been recruiting via games, the point of the article.

[–] scottywh 1 points 9 months ago

It's been happening for over 20 years