Certain online games use dark designs to collect player data

Gaming is a $193 billion industry -- nearly double the size of the film and music industries combined -- and there are around three billion gamers worldwide. While online gaming can improve wellbeing and foster social relations, privacy and awareness issues could potentially offset these benefits and cause real harm to gamers.

The authors identified instances of games using dark design -- interface decisions that manipulate users into doing something they otherwise wouldn't. These could facilitate the collection of player data and encourage players to integrate their social media accounts or allow data sharing with third parties.

'Data handling practices of games are often hidden behind legal jargon in privacy policies,' says Bourdoucen. 'When users' data are collected, games should make sure the players understand and consent to what is being collected. This can increase the player's awareness and sense of control in games. Gaming companies should also protect players' privacy and keep them safe while playing online.

'Games really should be fun and safe for everybody, and they should support the player's autonomy. One way of supporting autonomy would be able to let players opt out from invasive data collection,' says Lindqvist.Right now, there is a good chance your phone is tracking your location -- even with GPS services turned off. That's because, to receive service, our phones reveal personal identifiers to cell ...

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