EU-funded project The Gaming Police strengthens child safety online

Children and young people spend a lot of time online, and many of them play online games every day. These online environments can also expose them to risks such as cyberbullying, exploitation, recruitment, radicalization or grooming. The EU-funded project The Gaming Police brings Finnish police into digital spaces, reaching vulnerable young people through the gaming communities they already use and trust. It particularly focuses on sexual violence, cybercrime, and radicalisation that can lead to violence and extremism. 

Tthe project develops training models for police and youth workers. It covers topics such as the safety of children and young people online and the risks of social gaming in online spaces. It provides police officers with the expertise necessary to work with communities in the gaming world. They learn about the gaming culture and language, and how to spot risks in the gaming world.  

The project also organises online weekly gaming events for young people. These events focus on a specific themes, such as traffic safety, the glorification of a criminal lifestyle or gambling. The themes come either from children and young people themselves, or they are based on the needs identified by police departments. Once a month, gaming events are multiprofessional where participants can talk with social and health care professionals, youth workers, and seek help from them if needed. Police officers also participate in various events. The core idea is to give young people the opportunity to chat with police officers and other professionals anonymously.   

The police tasks arising from such interactions are taken forward as necessary, and young people receive help to protect themselves and break away from crime. The gaming police officers have uncovered crimes such as sexual offences against children, drug trafficking, money laundering and recruitment into crime and extremist movements. Young people themselves have also reported bullying, discrimination, and hate speech. 

The Gaming Police project is led by the Police University College (Finland’s only police educational institute), the Häme and Ostrobothnia Police Departments, Åland Police, and the National Police Board. The project team also cooperates with other police units and stakeholders from public administration, the non-governmental sector, the gaming industry and universities. 

The project has been awarded the Recognition for an Act of Dialogue in Finland, which rewards initiatives that strengthen dialogue, inclusion, and democracy. The Police University College also reported that the activities improve the police’s awareness of phenomena and trends in the digital gaming world. Additionally, the police aim to create a nationwide network and coordination point for gaming police activities. 

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