At first glance, civil society organisations and digital communication platforms appear to be driven by diverging priorities. One is dedicated to delivering social impact and addressing societal challenges, while the other is focused on building products and services that connect people, foster communities, and shape how people interact online. Yet beneath these apparent differences lie a set of shared values and motivations that unite them.
In the case of ECPAT International – a global non-profit organisation addressing all forms of child sexual exploitation – and Discord, a communication platform that enables people to build meaningful connections through the joy of playing games, this convergence takes the form of a shared commitment to improving the well-being of teen gamers worldwide. To bring this vision to life, ECPAT and Discord have joined hands to co-design a suite of evidence-based learning resources aimed at challenging gender norms and stereotypes for Discord’s Wellbeing Hub, drawing on ECPAT’s data, guidance and learnings in this area. The partnership has been made possible by the Caring Masculinity Fund, led by Gary Barker, CEO of Equimundo: Center for Masculinities and Social Justice that supports organizations worldwide in engaging men and boys to advance gender equality.
The collaboration’s key focus is to promote help-seeking behaviours amongst young users, especially teen boys, and will target three distinct communities – Discord users, the parents of Discord users, and volunteer community moderators.
For Discord users, this means helping them navigate issues like online banter, teasing, and mocking, which are considered ‘a normal part’ of many gaming spaces. These behaviours can reinforce existing harmful norms or stereotypes, but because they feel like an accepted part of the culture, teen users can find it difficult to speak out.
For volunteer community moderators – whose role may include establishing and enforcing server-specific rules, providing player support and coordinating community events and engagements – the resources will support them in developing a deeper understanding of the ways in which gender dynamics can impact help-seeking behaviours, and support them in helping to foster safe, inclusive, and welcoming community spaces.
And for parents, the resources will offer practical support in helping keep their teens safer in online spaces, through ‘partnership’ rather than ‘policing’. Parental controls have a reputation for being heavy-handed (controlling) or ineffective (easily bypassed). By adopting a partnership approach, the aim is to support parents to work in tandem with their teen, encouraging open dialogue and supporting healthy online experiences, whilst respecting their teen’s growing autonomy and bolstering their ability to safely navigate online spaces.
ECPAT’s research clearly indicates that online spaces and gaming platforms have enormous potential to promote healthy behaviours, challenge rigid gender norms, and foster a culture of safety and inclusivity among players. Collaboration and knowledge-sharing between civil society and the gaming industry provide the opportunity to develop better tools and products that are more responsive to the challenges both sectors face.
Ultimately, co-developed solutions offer the chance to create products that are not only commercially viable but also deliver significant social impact.