The psychological and legal dimensions of cyber violence in the digital game perspective: The case of league of legends

Abstract

With the developing technology, individuals have begun to work and carry out all kinds of transactions through digital platforms. In parallel, digital environments have also begun to meet individuals' entertainment needs, with games becoming digitized and gaming habits evolving in a different direction. This situation has brought with it both the benefits and the online risks of the digital world. Cyber violence, defined as any harmful behavior towards an individual or group through cyberspace, is one of these online risks. As a preliminary study, this paper aims to examine the extent and methods of cyber violence experienced by male and female users in the online game League of Legends, which is one of the most popular online games in Turkey, and to analyze the psychological and legal aspects of cyber violence in digital games. In this experimental, descriptive study with blended research methodology, both male and female users played the game alone and as a team at regular intervals for one month. Participants were asked to use their usernames and behavior in the game, indicating their gender. The reactions received by both participants when playing the game well or poorly were analyzed to examine cyber violence from legal and psychological perspectives. As a preliminary result of the study, it was found that female participants received the most flirtatious offers and were subjected to verbal abuse and insults, even when playing the game well. Male participants, on the other hand, were subjected to verbal abuse and insults when playing the game both well and poorly. When the participants played the game together, it was found that female participants were subjected to cyber violence the most. This violence is most commonly expressed in the form of verbal abuse and insults. It is believed that examining cyber violence in digital games from legal and psychological perspectives will raise awareness about cyber violence.