Following a consultation process, The Independent Game Developers Association (TIGA) has formally adopted its voluntary 5 Principles for Safeguarding Players. TIGA has devised the Principles for games businesses to follow when operating games in the UK, in order to safeguard players from potential harms.
The Principles have been designed to be proportionate, reflecting the fact that a large multimillion pound games business operating a widely used online game will be able to do much more than a small business operating a niche game.
TIGA’s 5 Principles for Safeguarding Players are as follows:
- Protecting children
Take particular care in the design of games that are likely to appeal to children and provide the necessary tools and information about content for parents, guardians and children to enable them to manage all aspects of their children’s enjoyment of games.
- Treating consumers fairly
Deal with players as consumers in a fair manner at all times, in addition to complying with all relevant marketing, advertising and consumer protection law.
- Safeguarding online communities
Make every effort to ensure that online communities and interactions are safe and do not expose players to harm.
- Respecting personal data
Take appropriate and proportionate measures to fulfil the seven data protection principles under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and comply with all other relevant data protection laws to ensure that players’ rights to personal data privacy are respected.
- Spending and time management
Enable players to manage the amount of time and money spent on games through appropriate design and proportionate measures.
For more information about the Principles, see: https://tiga.org/about-tiga-and-our-industry/tigas-five-principles-for-safeguarding-players
Dr Richard Wilson OBE, TIGA CEO, said:
“TIGA’s 5 TIGA Principles for Safeguarding Players are designed to promote the protection of players. Games studios, publishers and platform holders that endorse and follow these Principles will demonstrate a real commitment to their players’ wellbeing.
“The Principles are designed to enable games businesses to take proportionate actions. For example, a large multimillion pound games business providing an online game will be better placed to invest more in sophisticated technology and sizeable teams to protect players from illegal or inappropriate behaviour than a small business.”
Jason Kingsley OBE TIGA Chairman and CEO and Creative Director at Rebellion, said:
“The 5 TIGA Principles for Safeguarding Players should help games businesses to safeguard their players. The Principles are voluntary in nature, but companies that follow them will show that they are serious about their players’ wellbeing.”