New Forms of Victimization Linked to Video Games: A Multi-Level Proposal of a Categorization. – Aiala Tejada García de Garayo, Mario Santisteban Galarza, Jesús C. Aguerri y Alba Diaz Ortega.
In recent decades, many sectors of our society have been digitized, and much of our life has moved to cyberspace, especially in terms of entertainment. Users meet, relate, and cooperate in the new public space that is the internet and form digital communities. Video games play a leading role in the formation of such communities. However, these communities also present antisocial behaviors, ranging from disruptive actions to harassment and hate speech. Such behaviors, encompassed under the umbrella term toxicity, are a major concern for both users and those in charge of moderating these spaces. This article focuses on toxicity in today’s leading online video game League of Legends. Three hundred twenty-eight matches were reviewed using a system of two judges to study the prevalence of these problematic behaviors. We find that 70% of matches were affected by disruptive behavior. Nevertheless, only 10.9% of the analyzed matches were exclusively affected by downright harmful behavior. In our view, the results have relevant implications for content moderation policy that are also addressed in this paper.
Keywords: Video games, Toxicity, Disruptive behavior, Cryptocurrencies, NFTs, Cyberspace, Victimization
Crime Opportunities, Lockdowns, and Online Video Games: The Digital Leisure Hypothesis (and More on the Impact of Digitalization on Crime Trends) – Fernando Miró Llinares
This chapter examines the complex relationship between digital leisure activities and crime patterns through the development and testing of a «digital leisure hypothesis.» Drawing on routine activity theory and empirical data from multiple sources, the author argues that increased engagement with digital entertainment, particularly among youth, has contributed to significant shifts in criminal opportunities by altering how people spend their time. The study presents evidence of strong negative correlations between time spent on digital leisure activities and youth crime rates, particularly for offenses like vandalism and burglary. Using data from the American Time Use Survey and Bureau of Justice Statistics (1994-2016), the research demonstrates that higher rates of digitalization are associated with lower arrest rates, with effects being particularly pronounced among young people. The chapter also explores how the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated these trends by forcing rapid adoption of digital activities across all age groups. The author proposes a dual-effect model where digitalization simultaneously reduces opportunities for traditional street crime by keeping people indoors while creating new opportunities for cybercrime through increased online activity. This is supported by empirical analysis showing exponential growth in cyber-victimization correlating with increased digital technology adoption. The findings suggest that the relationship between digital leisure and crime is not a simple displacement effect, but rather reflects fundamental changes in routine activities and criminal opportunities. The chapter concludes by considering how these trends might evolve in a post-pandemic world, arguing that understanding the relationship between digital leisure and crime patterns will become increasingly crucial for criminological theory and crime prevention strategies.
Keywords: Digital Leisure, Online Gaming, Covid-19, Routine Activities, Crime Opportunities, Offline crime, Online offenses
EL DELITO DE CHILD GROOMING Y EL CONSENTIMIENTO DE MENORES DE 16 AÑOS (ARTS. 183 Y 183 BIS DEL CP) – Paz Lloria Garcia
This chapter examines the complex relationship between digital leisure activities and crime patterns through the development and testing of a «digital leisure hypothesis.» Drawing on routine activity theory and empirical data from multiple sources, the author argues that increased engagement with digital entertainment, particularly among youth, has contributed to significant shifts in criminal opportunities by altering how people spend their time. The study presents evidence of strong negative correlations between time spent on digital leisure activities and youth crime rates, particularly for offenses like vandalism and burglary. Using data from the American Time Use Survey and Bureau of Justice Statistics (1994-2016), the research demonstrates that higher rates of digitalization are associated with lower arrest rates, with effects being particularly pronounced among young people. The chapter also explores how the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated these trends by forcing rapid adoption of digital activities across all age groups. The author proposes a dual-effect model where digitalization simultaneously reduces opportunities for traditional street crime by keeping people indoors while creating new opportunities for cybercrime through increased online activity. This is supported by empirical analysis showing exponential growth in cyber-victimization correlating with increased digital technology adoption. The findings suggest that the relationship between digital leisure and crime is not a simple displacement effect, but rather reflects fundamental changes in routine activities and criminal opportunities. The chapter concludes by considering how these trends might evolve in a post-pandemic world, arguing that understanding the relationship between digital leisure and crime patterns will become increasingly crucial for criminological theory and crime prevention strategies.
Keywords: Digital Leisure, Online Gaming, Covid-19, Routine Activities, Crime Opportunities, Offline crime, Online offenses