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Tackling Online Hate in Gaming with GameChangers 2025

The GameChangers 2025 Fellowship, a collaborative effort led by the ADIR Challenge in partnership with the NYU Center for the Study of Antisemitism, recently brought together a dynamic mix of students, academics, and industry leaders in New York City. This three-day program focused on confronting the troubling rise of online hate within the gaming community, emphasizing the need for immediate action in an industry increasingly frequented by young audiences.

The Urgency of Online Safety

Research indicates that harassment is alarmingly prevalent in online gaming, with approximately 83 million out of 110 million U.S. multiplayer gamers experiencing harassment. Particularly concerning is that a staggering three-quarters of players aged 10 to 17 report encountering bullying, derogatory remarks, and other forms of humiliation during their gaming experiences. According to a recent study monitoring youth gaming discussions, nearly 3,000 serious safety alerts linked to hate speech and predatory behavior were noted in just one observation period.

These statistics underline the reality that gaming platforms are crucial hubs for youth culture, yet they often present significant risks to user safety without adequate protective measures in place.

Collaboration Across Borders

The GameChangers Fellowship aimed to harness the collective intelligence of a diverse group of 30 students drawn from over 20 academic institutions across the United States and Israel. Supported by notable industry players such as Playtika, Base44, Decart, Modulate, and Kidas, these students were tasked with developing scalable, tech-centric solutions to counter toxicity and extremism in online gaming.

Participants engaged in teamwork focusing on two significant challenges: how to identify harmful content, including subtle coded messages and memes, and how to design gamification strategies that encourage positive community behaviors.

Empowering the Next Generation

Beyond the design challenges, the program included workshops led by field experts, covering topics such as AI tools for moderation, the nature of extremism, and the implications for human rights in gaming. Industry mentors and judges came from organizations including Google, Salesforce, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), and the NYU Game Center, providing participants a wealth of experience to draw from.

Morielle Lotan, the CEO and Founder of The ADIR Challenge, remarked, “Gaming represents a frontline for combating antisemitism and hate. Here, young people congregate, which extremist groups aim to exploit. Through GameChangers, we’re fostering collaborations among industry experts and students to create safer online environments while promoting responsible growth for the sector.”

Innovative Solutions on Display

The innovative ideas presented by the students included a revolutionary AI-driven moderation platform designed to reward respectful player interactions while providing educational feedback on flagged behaviors. Other proposed solutions included a user-friendly reporting mechanism that incentivizes players to identify coded hate while building a comprehensive database of emerging hate symbols and a dynamic lexicon that tracks hateful slang, emojis, and memes as they evolve based on user submissions.

Additionally, one team received an honorable mention for developing a “Safe Game” badge, designed to reward players for positive engagement, thereby signaling their commitment to fostering inclusivity among gaming communities.

A Commitment to Change

Amnon Kalev, Executive General Manager at Playtika, emphasized the organization's dedication to creating a gaming environment that champions community rather than exclusion, stating, “Gaming should be about entertainment, not harassment. We proudly align ourselves with ADIR's initiative aiming to dismantle hate and extremism in gaming.”

Fellow participants expressed the significant growth they experienced throughout the program. 95.7% noted they would recommend the fellowship to peers, and a remarkable 87% expressed intentions to further their projects beyond the program duration.

Feedback from participants demonstrated marked increases in understanding related to antisemitism, extremism, and digital safety before and after the fellowship. This collaborative, interdisciplinary approach, which included both Jewish and non-Jewish students, showcased the effectiveness of leveraging communal diversity to confront shared challenges.

Looking Ahead

As plans kick off for GameChangers 2026, the initiative aims to attract a new wave of fellows eager to join this essential fight. The upcoming chapter promises to expand industry partnerships, enhance networking opportunities, and introduce new challenges for participants to solve innovatively.

The ADIR Challenge continues to advocate for solutions that promote not just technological advancements, but also the cultivation of partnerships that unite diverse communities, fostering a new generation of leaders committed to combating hate and inspiring positive change in the world. Expanding upon its 501(c)(3) status, ADIR is resolutely focused on redefining the digital landscape into safer and more inclusive spaces for all gamers.

For more information on the ADIR Challenge and its initiatives, visit theadirchallenge.com.