Agenda

"As online gaming reaches bigger audiences, it has also become a target for sadistic online extremists seeking to groom, manipulate, and recruit children. The same immersive and social features that make games engaging also create opportunities for exploitation. This is an evolving and escalating form of online child sexual exploitation and abuse (OCSEA): children are being deliberately targeted, with real-world consequences including psychological harm, radicalization, and violence.
In this session, panelists will examine how extremist networks are attempting to weaponize gaming spaces, where the threat vectors of terrorism and violent extremism overlap with OCSEA, which children are most at risk, and what tactics are used to perpetrate abuse and evade detection. Most importantly, the discussion will examine how gaming companies can disrupt these threats and protect young players. Drawing on real-world cases and interventions from panelists leading response initiatives, attendees will leave with actionable takeaways to combat this urgent threat."

Takeaway

Attendees gain practical insight into emerging abuse patterns in gaming environments and how they are manifesting. The session equips industry experts with concrete approaches to identifying high-risk behaviors, responding when cases are surfaced, and strengthening cross-team and cross-sector responses to protect young players from organized extremist exploitation.

Intended Audience

This session is designed for trust and safety professionals, platform policy specialists, and game developers responsible for player protection. Familiarity with online child safety, terrorism and violent extremism, moderation systems, and/or multiplayer gaming environments is recommended but not required.