Is Crypto Gaming A Breeding Ground For Forced Labor?
With the ability the earn crypto and NFTs while gaming, will these types of games simply become a breeding ground for forced labor and other human rights abuses? Or will it open up more opportunities for people in developing countries to earn crypto and better their futures? Unfortunately the answer will most likely be some sort of mixed bag. While I don't have answers, I think it's important that we start discussing the issues of the web3 gaming industry.
Would love to hear your take, if you have any data/research, thoughts or questions on this topic that is helpful. Thank you!
Last week an important conversation was brought up by
@jeffreygwei
about the potential harm or abuses that web3 gaming opens up in the world.
Unfortunately, the conversation being targeted at Ronin and Axie mostly brought about more conflict than helpful discussion.
I hope this conversation isn't done and forgotten though, and instead expands into many important discussions on the impact that web3 gaming has on the world.
While it's not the loudest critique from gamers, I have seen plenty of comments that forced labor and other possible abuses in gaming with markets is why web3 gaming is a bad idea in general.
And more so than convincing people to give web3 games a chance, I'd hope that as we pioneer a new technology into the world that we would look at the impact it's having, whether good or harmful.
I can't pretend to be even close to any type of expert on this topic.
However, I wanted to share some of the questions I've been wrestling with about this issue to continue the conversation.
Here are some of the ones I've been thinking about as I discuss in the video...
1, What are the impacts of the products that we are building? With every piece of technology introduced into the world, there is going to be pros and cons, good and evil ways it’s uses, etc. Is there an organization, game, blockchain, that will step up to the plate and conduct more research?
2. How can we value people who are using web3 games to provide for their families and escape poverty? Do we actually care about their skills, intelligence, insights, etfc. Or are they simply a way to pump up our vanity numbers or provide the cheapest labor possible for our companies? How can we listen and hear more of their stories?
3. Is the product the problem itself that lends to more potential abuses? How many people are using this as an opportunity to better their lives? Is web3 gaming better than games that have these black markets? Does opening up gaming markets actually give opportunities to people in healthy ways than what goes on in black market gaming sales?
4. A lot of us are concerned with our own gains and finances in this space, but how can we be generous with our time, money and knowledge?
What other things should we ask ourselves and consider on this topic?
I hope this is a constant conversation that we all can continue and push forward.
Again, this isn't a Ronin, Axie or PH problem. This is a web3 gaming problem as an industry that needs to be discussed.