Abstract:

This study has addressed the forms of hate speech and distinctive language as a problem that we encounter in many areas of daily life and socially disturb the culture of living together and the production and distribution of online digital games. The aim of the study is to reveal the forms of hate speech and discernment of discriminatory language produced by users in online digital games, attracting attention to the role of these games in hate speech and the spread and normalization of discriminatory language. As an example in the study, Agar.io was chosen as one of the MMOG (massively multiplayer online games) games. Agar.io game has been studied in the context of hate speech and distinctive language for eight weeks. The data obtained by the participatory observation technique was evaluated by the method of content analysis; it was found that online digital games have an important power in the production and publication of hate speech and discriminatory language. The game selected as an example is not played by players only for fun and leisure purposes; players have turned the game into a mixture where hate speech and discriminatory language are produced and spread. The results of the analysis have seen all forms of hate speech and discrimination, including political/ideological, homofobic, zenophobic, racist and sexual, in the plane of the avatar images. It has also been found that players use online digital games in the form of social media for different purposes, such as propaganda, advertising, personal communication; therefore, digital games have evolved towards a new kind of social media environment.

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