The Independent Game Developers Association (TIGA) has published a set of voluntary Principles for Safeguarding Players (the Principles). TIGA has devised the Principles for games businesses to follow when operating games in the UK, in order to safeguard players. TIGA is inviting games businesses to provide feedback on the draft Principles before 20th January 2020.
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 and guardians 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.
Dr Richard Wilson OBE, TIGA CEO, said:
“The UK video games industry is economically important, creating high skilled jobs in a creative export focused industry. Games themselves bring enjoyment, engagement and entertainment. Games can promote numerous psychological and behavioural benefits to millions of people. Games can be used for education, training and business as well as for fun.
“In order to enable all players to enjoy these benefits, TIGA has drawn up 5 TIGA Principles for Safeguarding Players. Games studios, publishers and platform holders that endorse and adhere to these Principles will demonstrate a firm, active 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.
“We welcome feedback from games businesses on these Principles before 20th January 2020.”
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 a clear, concrete determination to ensure their players’ wellbeing.”
TIGA is inviting games businesses to provide feedback on the Principles before 9th January 2020. TIGA will then review all feedback before formally publishing the first set of Principles for Safeguarding Players in February 2020. The TIGA Principles are broad and high-level in scope. In order to assist games companies to comply with the Principles, TIGA has created a set of ‘Positive Practices’ for each Principle. See: https://tiga.org/about-tiga-and-our-industry/tigas-five-principles-for-safeguarding-players Comments and feedback on the Principles and Positive Practices should be sent to: suzi@tiga.org
Notes for editors
TIGA is the network for games developers and digital publishers and the trade association representing the video games industry. Since 2010, TIGA has won 28 business awards and commendations and has achieved Investors in People accreditation on four occasions. TIGA focuses on four sets of activities:
- political representation;
- authoritative media representation;
- enhancing education and skills;
- membership services.
This enhances the competitiveness of our members by providing benefits that make a material difference to their businesses, including a reduction in costs and improved commercial opportunities. It also means our members’ voices are heard in government and in parliaments and positively represented in the media.
Get in touch:
- Tel: 0845 468 2330
- Email: info@tiga.org
- Web: www.tiga.org
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/tigamovement
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/TIGAMovement
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/tiga
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardwilsontiga/