LegalVideo Games Europe
Response to the Call for Evidence on the Action Plan against Cyberbullying
1 Sept 20254 pages~10 min full read
Video games are a minor source of online harm compared to social media, with only 12% of teens and 3% of adults identifying games as a source of recent harm, versus 70% and 63% for social media platforms.
See it on page 1Bullying incidents in gaming are significantly lower than on social platforms, reported by 5% of teens and 1% of adults in gaming environments compared to 67% and 69% on social media.
See it on page 1Data from the Insafe helpline in Q1 2025 attributes only 8% of reported online issues to gaming platforms, while 68% are linked to social media and 20% to messaging services.
See it on page 2The video game industry utilizes a five-pillar safety framework, including the PEGI age-rating system, a contractually enforceable Code of Conduct, and automated toxicity detection tools.
See it on page 2OFCOM-commissioned research from early 2022 corroborates low risk levels, finding that only 2–3% of children and adults experienced harm via gaming.
See it on page 1The sector advocates for an EU-wide cyberbullying policy that prioritizes self-regulation, parental involvement, and targeted awareness campaigns over broad, non-specific regulation.
See it on page 3Video Games Europe submits a position in response to the European Commission’s call for evidence on an Action Plan against cyberbullying, arguing that the sector already implements a robust “safety‑by‑design” framework and that cyberbullying is comparatively rare within video‑game environments. The central thesis is that a harmonised EU approach should recognise the distinct risk profiles of digital services, rely on empirical data, and integrate self‑regulation, parental involvement and targeted awareness campaigns.
Empirical evidence underpins the argument. A market‑research study commissioned from Jigsaw surveyed 2,500 teenagers (aged 12‑15) and 2,500 adults across France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. Only 12 % of teens and 3 % of adults identified video games as a source of recent online harm, versus 70 % and 63 % respectively for social media. Bullying was reported by 5 % of teens and 1 % of adults in gaming contexts, compared with 67 % and 69 % on social platforms. Parallel findings from an OFCOM‑commissioned UK survey (2,080 adults, 2,001 children, early 2022) showed 2‑3 % experiencing harms via gaming. The Insafe helpline’s Q1 2025 data corroborated these trends, attributing 8 % of reported issues to gaming platforms, against 68 % for social media and 20 % for messaging services.
The sector’s preventive architecture rests on five pillars: the PEGI age‑rating system with scientifically backed criteria; a contractually enforceable Code of Conduct that bans illegal or harmful content and mandates reporting mechanisms; community‑management tools such as automated toxicity detection, moderation and bans; parental‑control solutions supported by multilingual awareness campaigns in 14 countries; and independent consumer redress through a complaints board and enforcement committee. These mechanisms aim to keep online interaction safe for minors while preserving the openness of the market.
Policy recommendations stress that an EU‑wide anti‑cy
