New York, NY, July 21, 2025 … The ADL (Anti-Defamation League) Center for Technology and Society (CTS) and JLens, an ADL affiliate, announced today that Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) and Take-Two Interactive (NASDAQ: TTWO), two of the world’s most prominent video game publishers, have made significant strides in strengthening their community standards by adopting updated policies explicitly addressing extremism and terrorism. These changes follow a series of engagements with JLens and ADL, and come amid research showing that many gamers are leaving platforms when they see hateful comments.
EA, publisher of popular titles such as Madden NFL, and Apex Legends, has updated its Positive Play Charter to include clear language targeting extremism and terrorism. Similarly, Take-Two Interactive subsidiaries Rockstar Games and 2K have both recently bolstered their Codes of Conduct to introduce more detailed prohibitions related to hate speech and extremism.
These stronger, clearer guidelines follow ADL’s safety audits of both companies’ games and engagement between JLens and ADL and representatives from both companies earlier this year.
“We applaud EA and Take-Two, who now join Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, and Roblox Corporation in explicitly addressing extremism and terrorism within their community standards. These steps reflect growing momentum in the gaming industry to ensure player safety and uphold social responsibility,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL’s CEO. “While these are steps in the right direction, as an industry there is still a lot of room to grow.”
This effort aligns with recent ADL research showing that 15 percent of adults and 9 percent of young people have been exposed to white supremacist ideology in online games. Since 2019, ADL has worked with gaming companies, while engaging lawmakers and the public, to hold them accountable for creating and enforcing policies that ensure every player can participate in gameplay free from hate and harassment.
Moreover, in another recent CTS study, Fellow Dr. Constance Steinkuehler found that another consequence of hate-based speech is that it can significantly curb the financial growth potential of the online game industry. Research found that female players, new players, and “casual” players are more likely to withdraw from gaming spaces in response to hateful comments and actions in games, indicating a significant loss in player engagement and potential profit for the gaming industry.
“In addition to the moral imperative to address antisemitism and hate speech on online gaming platforms, ADL research shows that companies may also have a financial incentive to do so,” said Daniel Kelley, Director of Strategy and Operations and Interim Head of the ADL Center for Technology and Society. “As some players seem to have less of a tolerance for hate, they are choosing to withdraw from gaming spaces that allow hate to flourish. As a result, gaming companies may be losing several important segments of their player base when hate-based harassment is not effectively moderated. Let’s hope this serves as a wake-up call.”
Over 100 million people in the U.S. play online games, and there are over 3 billion people who play video games broadly worldwide. The industry’s past responses to these calls have been varied. Activision recently updated their code of conduct to include the “amplification of hateful speech” in order to better take action against perpetrators who have historically avoided moderation sanctions.
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Language added to EA’s Positive Play Charter:
Language added to 2K’s Code of Conduct for Fair Play:
ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all. More at www.adl.org.
Founded in 2012, JLens is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and Registered Investment Advisor that empowers investors to align their capital with Jewish values and advocates for Jewish communal priorities in the corporate arena. JLens’ Jewish Investor Network is composed of over 30 Jewish institutions, representing $11 billion in communal capital. In 2022, JLens established an affiliation with ADL (Anti-Defamation League), the leading anti-hate organization in the world. More at www.jlensnetwork.org.
