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Create free accountWhitepaperCoventry University
In Control? Examining the Design of User Privacy Settings in PC Video Games Through a GDPR Lens
Key insights
6 takeaways- 01A systematic audit of 40 popular PC games revealed that privacy settings are frequently absent, poorly implemented, or fragmented across external websites and dashboards, failing to align with GDPR expectations.See it on page 1
- 0265.2% of the 23 games analyzed required users to accept broad, bundled privacy agreements before granting access to core gameplay, effectively eliminating the possibility of granular consent.See it on page 11
- 03Only 30.4% of the sampled titles allowed users to access core functionality while opting out of non-essential data processing, such as telemetry, advertising, or surveys.See it on page 17
- 04Privacy controls are often treated as a one-time legal formality at the point of entry rather than an ongoing, accessible user experience, with 21.7% of games providing no meaningful way to modify preferences after initial setup.See it on page 11
- 05Large studios do not consistently demonstrate superior privacy design compared to smaller developers, suggesting that current implementation gaps are driven by organizational priorities rather than technical limitations.See it on page 17
- 06Privacy management in the gaming industry is currently skewed toward interpersonal social settings, with significantly less focus on providing users control over behavioral data, profiling, and third-party data sharing.See it on page 19
Summary
In Control? Examining the Design of User Privacy Settings in PC Video Games Through a GDPR Lens JAIMZ WINTER, Coventry University, United Kingdom PETROS LAMERAS, Coventry University, United Kingdom SYLVESTER ARNAB, Coventry University, United Kingdom Video games increasingly collect personal and behavioural data from players, yet little is known about how privacy controls in this medium are designed or whether they meet regulatory expectations.
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