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Online game streaming: How big a problem is bullying?

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How does bullying happen on gaming stream sites?

If you're a fan of video games then Vikkstar123 probably won't be a new name to you.

He's a well known video game streamer, which means it's his job to play video games.

Sometimes as many as 30,000 people watch him gaming online, so he's pretty popular!

You can watch him and other gamers on live streaming websites, such as Twitch and YouTube - where you have to be at least 13-years-old to have an account.

Many of these sites have a chat feature where users can interact with other gamers.

People often use it to give the streamer tips.

But sometimes this chat can become very argumentative, with people saying mean things just to get a reaction.

Raiding: What is it?

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Vikkstar123 on raiding

'Raiding' is another way some live streamers attack others. They do this by encouraging their followers to visit another user's stream to watch or comment on it.

Raiding isn't always bad. Sometimes it can be a supportive move, giving users who only have a few viewers a lot more.

But when it's used in a mean way - with lots of people ganging together to make nasty comments on someone else's stream - it can be very upsetting.

A report released earlier this year revealed that 64% of young people have experienced some form of bullying while playing a game online.

You've been telling us what has happened to you when you've played games online and how it's made you feel.

Your Experiences

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Your experience of bullying in online games

Some of you say reading nasty comments on your videos has even put you off playing online, even though you know what they're saying isn't true.

But lots of you know it's a good idea to report it when these kind of things happen, and to tell an adult you trust.

And what advice does Vikkstar123 have when it comes to comments on your stream?

"Focus on the positives. If there is negative feedback you can ban that person from the chat. Then you don't know what they're saying, and you can just cut that out."

But he recognises that when you've got lots of viewers it's hard to spot the people in chats that are being positive, and those who just want to argue between themselves.

What are people in the gaming industry doing to help?

Chase from Twitch says the site has very strict rules to try and stop people making inappropriate, racist or sexist comments to other gamers.

If you see these rules being broken, Chase says Twitch wants you to report it. Then he says the Twitch team can look into it.

Youtube says it doesn't tolerate bullying on its site, and says it will remove any comments that break the rules.

Alternatively you can move your gaming focus more offline.

Belong is like a real-world gaming club, where you can play games with other people who are physically there.

They say their environment is safe as they "have a code of conduct" and "that if things do go too far they are being dealt with," by staff on site.