Rachel Kowert

Rachel Kowert, Ph.D is a research psychologist, award winning author, and globally recognized leader in facilitating global policy development with non-profit, governmental, and non-governmental agencies for more than 15 years through data-driven research focused on mental health and trust and safety in digital games. She has spoken about her work to thousands of people across the globe, including the United States Congress, United Nations, and Department of Homeland Security. She currently works as a Strategic Policy Advisor at Discord and serves as the series’ editor of the Debates in Media Studies series (Routledge) and The Psychgeist of Pop Culture series (Play Story Press). In 2020, she founded Psychgeist, a multimedia content production studio for the science of games and pop culture. To learn more about Rachel and her work, visit www.rkowert.com.

Trust and Safety Innovation in Games: Building Resilient Players and Safer (Digital) Playgrounds

One in five players spend less money in video game spaces due to hate and harassment. Six in ten avoid a game altogether if it has a reputation of a space where hate and harassment is rampant. Prioritizing trust and safety in gaming spaces is a long-term investment in player retention and profitability (and business necessity in light of new legislation). 

In this workshop we will outline the business case for prioritizing player resiliency and trust and safety initiatives around social harms within gaming spaces, facilitate conversations among attendees around their trust and safety roadblocks, identity strategies to expand their efforts within their own studios and games, and present best practices from the industry. This workshop is an opportunity to learn from others in the room and move towards developing industry-wide best practices for addressing social harms in gaming spaces.