Inclusivity and Authenticity in the Metaverse

There are a huge variety of player communities in the world, each with their own preferences, culture, and norms. Platforms looking to provide safety for these players face a difficult challenge - how can they consistently identify and mitigate harm while also permitting empowering behaviors like the reclaiming of slurs, offering support to vulnerable players, and good-spirited trash talk between friends?

One-size-fits-all solutions struggle to thread this needle - and while they can provide strong benefits to many players, they may also actually harm your most vulnerable players by restricting their ability to build authentic relationships. In this talk, Dr. Kishonna Gray and Mike Pappas will outline some underrecognized communities and norms which are essential for promoting empowerment and inclusivity, with a specific focus on how platforms enable players to connect with each other.

Intended audience
Anyone passionate about inclusivity in virtual spaces could gain something from this talk, but it's recommended that attendees come with a basic understanding of common interaction types (voice, text, in-game actions, etc.) The discussion will not require any specific technical knowledge.

Attendees will leave with an understanding of:
- How to determine optimal social channels (voice, text, in-game / private, matchmade, team-based, etc) to empower players effectively in different game genres
- Some of the pitfalls where well-intentioned interventions can actually hurt the experience of vulnerable players, and alternate strategies that empower those users instead
- A framework for communicating Code-of-Conduct expectations to players while still embracing the diversity of different player groups

*Please note that this webinar will be open to FPA members and attendees from the industry at large. It will also be recorded and made available externally.

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