Camilla Almeida      More info     Articles   
             



Designing for Safer Play: How GGReport Fights Gender-Based Harassment in Game


Online games connect millions of people around the world, they’re creative, social, and fun. Yet for many women, these spaces can also involve harassment, exclusion, and everyday sexism that often go unreported.

This article summarizes my undergraduate thesis, “Symbolic Gender Violence in Digital Games: A Proposed Solution for Reporting Harassment Cases,” where I explored how design can help address gender-based violence in gaming. The result was GGReport, an application that makes it easier and safer for players to report harassment.


Understanding Symbolic Violence in Games


Symbolic gender violence isn’t always visible. It’s the subtle but persistent behaviors, sexist jokes, dismissive comments, exclusion that reinforce stereotypes and normalize discrimination.
For women in gaming, these experiences are often brushed off as “just jokes” or “normal gamer talk.” But they create an environment that silences players and limits participation.

Despite the frequency of these incidents, few are ever reported. Many players fear backlash, don’t trust the reporting systems, or simply don’t have a quick, accessible way to document what happened.

From Research to Design


To understand this issue in depth, I used a mixed-method approach combining:

  • Netnography – observing interactions within gaming communities to see how gendered behavior plays out.
  • Focus groups – listening to female gamers describe their experiences, frustrations, and needs.
  • Requirements analysis – identifying what users expect from a reporting system that actually works for them.
  • Technical exploration – figuring out the right tools to make the experience simple and responsive.

This process revealed that players need an immediate, private, and low-effort way to report symbolic violence — something that fits naturally into their gaming routines.

The Solution: GGReport


GGReport is a hybrid system combining a web platform and a desktop app designed to let users quickly and safely report incidents of symbolic gender violence while gaming.

Its core features include:

  • Fast and lightweight reporting, so users don’t have to leave the game.
  • Anonymity and privacy, ensuring safety and trust.
  • Contextual capture, allowing users to describe what happened, when, and in which environment.
  • Data aggregation, helping moderators and researchers identify recurring patterns of abuse.

By blending usability, psychology, and ethics, GGReport transforms the act of reporting from a burden into a natural part of responsible play.

The Design Challenges


Creating GGReport came with its share of challenges:

  • Balancing disruption vs. immediacy — how to intervene without breaking immersion.
  • Ensuring privacy and data security — designing trust into every step.
  • Avoiding legalistic language — allowing players to tell their stories in their own words.
  • Building adaptability — a system flexible enough to grow with platforms, genres, and communities.

Each decision was guided by a core question: How can design empower users to speak up, not silence them further?


🧩 Key UX Principles Applied

  • Low friction: Quick actions, optional details.
  • Trust & transparency: Privacy options always visible.
  • Emotional reassurance: Friendly, safe tone after submission.
  • Accessibility: High contrast, keyboard shortcuts, screen reader support.

Why It Matters


GGReport is more than a tool, it’s a statement about inclusion, empathy, and accountability in gaming culture.

By designing systems that make space for safety, we remind players that digital environments are not detached from real-world values. Harassment may happen behind screens, but its impact is very real.

What’s Next


There’s still room to grow. Future versions of GGReport could explore:
  •  Real-time moderation alerts
  •  Integration with streaming and social platforms
  •  Community dashboards for transparency
  •  Machine learning for proactive detection of harmful patterns

As gaming continues to evolve, so must our tools for protecting players and fostering respect.

Final Thoughts


Design isn’t just about visuals or usability, it’s about shaping human behavior. With GGReport, I wanted to show how thoughtful design can make digital spaces fairer, safer, and more inclusive.

Because everyone deserves to play freely without fear, bias, or silence.

Full research available at the Federal University of Ceará repository.