They're Scamming Me: How Children Experience and Conceptualize Harm in Game Monetization
May 2, 2025
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Hardwick et al.
"Children are struggling with complex virtual currency systems, describing in-game currency conversions as “scary” and difficult to understand, often leading to unintentional overspending; random reward mechanics like loot boxes are deceptive and harmful, and still feature in many of the most popular Roblox games despite being banned for users under 15 in Australia in 2024; many children feel misled by the games they play, experiencing financial disappointment and family conflicts due to misleading spending features; Children need better protections [...]"