Video Games Are Being Used by Foreign Actors and Extremists, New Study Finds

Video games have emerged as a platform that foreign actors and extremist groups are utilizing for various purposes, ranging from recruitment efforts to propaganda dissemination, according to a new study.

The recent report from Lund University's Psychological Defence Research Institute in Sweden, supported by Swedish Psychological Defence Agency funding, has identified nearly 40 potential vulnerabilities within the gaming environment.

Video Games for Propaganda?

Jesper Falkheimer, a co-author of the report and Professor of Strategic Communication at Lund University, expressed astonishment at most Western nations' oversight of the gaming sector.

He emphasized that the global gaming industry, with billions of users, provides an easily accessible and immersive arena for persuasion and propaganda efforts by hostile states, organized crime entities, and extremist groups.

Researchers have identified instances dating back to the early 2000s where video games have been employed as tools for recruitment by terrorist groups, including Hezbollah, Hamas, and Da'esh.

Notably, in 2003, Hezbollah's Central Internet Bureau released the video game Special Force for this purpose. Furthermore, video games have been used as a medium for war propaganda.

According to the researchers, Russia has utilized platforms such as Roblox and Minecraft to disseminate propaganda in the current conflict in Ukraine.

The study cited an example involving the portrayal of the Ukrainian MiG-29 pilot known as the "Ghost of Kyiv," who gained notoriety on social media for purportedly downing invading planes during the early stages of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

It was later revealed that the pilot was a fictional character, and the footage used in certain online videos originated from the 2013 video game Digital Combat Simulator.

Lacking Policies

Falkheimer noted that in comparison to social media, the gaming domain lacks policies and mechanisms to counter information influence campaigns.

Moreover, there are inadequate channels for researchers, journalists, and the industry itself to comprehensively understand the extent to which gaming platforms are presently being exploited.

This knowledge gap not only obscures the severity of the situation but also hinders the ability to address it effectively, according to Falkheimer.

To safeguard an industry that caters to the entertainment and communication needs of billions worldwide, researchers suggest drawing lessons from the scrutiny that social media platforms have undergone.

Voluntary agreements, like the EU Code of Practice on Disinformation, can offer valuable insights into successful approaches and pitfalls to avoid, according to the researchers.

Countermeasures, they argue, should be developed through collaborative efforts involving the industry, players, and governments, all in a spirit of dialogue to mitigate significant threats to democratic societies.

"Freedom of speech and expression must always come first, much in the same way that the debate surrounding social media was framed primarily by this right. Raising awareness is the first step towards an open discussion on how to move forward with this pressing issue, especially given the current state of the world", Falkheimer said in a statement.

The study's findings were published here.