A new report has revealed that Among Us players are using the hit indie title to create sex lobbies, places in which explicit messages are sent and where those involved obtain share details for other platforms such as Snapchat.
Detailed in a new report by Kotaku, you don't have to look very hard to find lobbies in the North American server in Among Us with names like "hornifemRP" and "iSendDpics," as reporter Ali Wire describes their experience trying to connect to these lobbies. The people in these lobbies apparently rarely play the game itself, but rather just use the lobbies to chat with like-minded players.
Due to how readily available and accessible Among Us is, concerns are understandably raised over child exploitation and how young children could potentially experience grooming or sexual harassment. According to Kotaku, efforts are made by the individuals in these lobbies to make sure everyone is there for the same reason, but they also report that "only one out of 20 people claimed to be above 18" during their investigation.
Speaking with Kotaku, Innersloth community director Victoria Tran has outlined several features designed to make Among Us as child-friendly as possible, including custom Child Accounts as well as a Quick Chat feature made up of select words and phrases. Among Us also has a reporting system as well as "word censor moderation" that is continually updated.
“One of the features we launched early last year was the implementation of Child Accounts and a related Quick Chat feature," explains Tran. "We partnered with SuperAwesome to create and enforce it, a company that specializes in safe digital engagement services and one that is used by other games. Through this, we’ve put in a ton of work to ensure we are COPPA and GDPR compliant,”
But as is pointed out, Child Accounts put the responsibility firmly on the shoulders of the parent, and some may not know enough about online titles like Among Us to properly set up or maintain these accounts. It's clear that more work needs to be done to make sure Among Us is as family-friendly as its viral popularity has made it, but it's worth keeping an eye out for any sus behavior in the meantime.