Stop Killing Games: Against age-verification laws

Stop Killing Games has recently joined the growing backlash against age-verification laws proposed by various policymakers. These laws are intended to improve online safety, but groups like Stop Killing Games argue that they do not address the underlying causes of online harm. Ross Scott, the founder and public face of Stop Killing Games, has publicly criticized these measures, saying they could also have a major impact on game preservation.

Stop Killing Games’ position

According to a statement posted on social media, Stop Killing Games supports the pushback against age-verification laws. Scott points out that implementing such laws not only threatens the distribution of Linux in California, but could also put the future of certain games, such as Urban Dead, at risk. The game had to shut down late last year because developer Kevan Davis was unable to implement the required safety measures under the UK Online Safety Bill.

Scott also argues that the impact of these laws goes beyond individual games. He says they could make it harder, or even impossible, for community-driven projects such as private servers, modding communities, fan projects, and open-source tools to operate. That affects not only the preservation of older games, but also players’ ability to self-organize and the gaming community as a whole.

The role of policy measures

Stop Killing Games argues that many of the proposed measures create unnecessary new barriers and require the collection of sensitive user data. These new rules make it harder for small community projects to function. Such initiatives are often the least able to meet legal requirements, while larger, established platforms can adapt more easily.

Scott and fellow activists say that focusing on age verification and access standards for major platforms and the open web could limit access to technology for many users. That runs directly counter to the gaming community’s inclusive ethos. It is essential that all voices in this debate are heard, especially those of gamers themselves.

Changes at gaming platforms

In response to the new rules, several gaming platforms have already asked users to verify their age. PlayStation introduced age checks in the UK and Ireland earlier this year. Both those changes and Discord’s updates have sparked significant debate about privacy and the ethics of data collection in gaming. These changes could affect the relationship between players and platforms, especially if the requests are seen as too intrusive or as a privacy violation.

In its statement, Stop Killing Games stresses the need to keep the conversation around privacy and safety in gaming going, and calls on stakeholders to think carefully about how political decisions can disrupt the natural dynamics of the game community.

The debate over age verification and its consequences is expected to intensify as legislation evolves and more voices speak out against policymakers’ approach. That will be crucial for the future of both the games industry and consumer rights.