Latest news with #A.S.S.
Al Etihad
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Etihad
Roblox user group re-creates real-life mass shooting events
22 Apr 2025 18:19 (BLOOMBERG)A group of Roblox users is re-creating real life school shooting incidents on the gaming platform that's popular with kids, including attacks at Columbine High School and the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, as "Active Shooter Studios,' or A.S.S., the group has attracted hundreds of fans on Roblox to its detailed re-creations of the events, according to a report prepared by the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism.A.S.S.'s influence has extended to other platforms, according to the report, including a private Discord server that has been used as a central hub for discussion and promotion of content. It has also been seen on TikTok, where users share content or ask for links to games, and Reddit, where users shared copies of A.S.S.'s maps. One YouTube video posted to the A.S.S. Discord server introduces a game based on the Virginia Tech shooting of 2007, which contains live footage from the attack and has received dozens of comments.A.S.S. specialises in making highly detailed, disturbing re-creations of actual tragedies, the ADL said. The group is part of a larger online subculture known as TCC, many of whose followers have a fascination with serial killers and mass murderers. A.S.S. had also been running a Roblox group that contained about 800 members, where the leaders share announcements and promote their Discord server, according to the report. Roblox said it shut the group down last Friday after being contacted by the ADL."The maps created by A.S.S. are not simple game environments-they are disturbingly graphic and detailed, designed to mimic the mass shootings they're based on with unsettling accuracy and gore,' according to the ADL report. In A.S.S.'s games, players maim or dismember other players or characters, actions that are nominally prohibited by Roblox's community that re-create incidents of mass violence can desensitise young people to such events and normalise the re-creations as a form of entertainment, according to the one A.S.S. group game seen by Bloomberg, more than 60 players gathered in a re-creation of the events at Columbine. Gamers' Lego-like avatars formed a mob in front of the school holding pitchforks and repeating the White supremacist phrase "You will not replace us.' Players with guns shot students while other players dressed as police officers attempted to gun down the game was removed. However, later the same day a new shooting game that advertised its connection to A.S.S. debuted, attracting more than 1,000 visits before it too was removed."Roblox is committed to safety and civility, and our Community Standards explicitly prohibit any content or behavior that depicts, supports, glorifies, or promotes terrorist or extremist organisations in any way,' a Roblox spokesperson said in a statement to Bloomberg."We take steps to remove violative material and accounts from our platform detected by our AI scans, flagged by users, or flagged by external organisations.'Discord said it has a "zero-tolerance policy against content that glorifies violence on our platform. We take decisive actions when we detect violations of our policies, including removing content, banning users, shutting down servers, and engaging with law enforcement.'The Discord server referred to in the ADL report was removed by Discord's Counter Extremism team on April 18, before it was notified by the ADL, according to the company. Discord has removed several accounts related to the community leaders of A.S.S. and has set up alerts so they can track and ban the accounts if they return.A spokesperson for TikTok said its Community Guidelines "prohibit the promotion or incitement of violence, including praising a violent act, and we do not allow anyone to promote violent or hateful actors.'Representatives for Reddit and YouTube didn't immediately respond to a request for of the A.S.S. community couldn't be reached for Corp., which attracts about 85 million players to its platform daily, has struggled at times to police content. The site is particularly popular with younger kids, though in recent years has begun skewing to older teens and young adults. The company has been called out by researchers and law enforcement officials for not doing enough to protect children from predators and has had to deal with other games inspired by real-life mass shootings for ADL previously found re-creations of the mosque shooting in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019, which were later taken said "the vast majority' of the community on its platform doesn't seek out the A.S.S. content and it is not easily searchable through our the site's discovery mechanism."And because of the swift, proactive safety measures we have in place, it is very unlikely users would be exposed to such content on our platform. Combatting content that supports extremist views is an internet-wide challenge, as these individuals constantly try to evade detection,' the spokesperson works with organisations including the United Nations-supported Tech Against Terrorism initiative and the Simon Wiesenthal Center, which gave Roblox a high score on moderating hate online. The company is constantly evaluating and improving its moderation practices, according to the spokesperson. Despite Roblox's efforts to take down the maps created by A.S.S., the group continues to find ways to make the content available, according to the report. For example, it has turned to hosting games on paid Roblox private servers, which give players control over who is admitted to the spaces and make it harder to be detected by Roblox and have their accounts suspended.
NDTV
22-04-2025
- NDTV
"Active Shooter Studios" Recreates Real Life Mass Shootings On Gaming Apps
A group of Roblox users is re-creating real life school shooting incidents on the gaming platform that's popular with kids, including attacks at Columbine High School and the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Known as "Active Shooter Studios," or A.S.S., the group has attracted hundreds of fans on Roblox to its detailed re-creations of the events, according to a report prepared by the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism. A.S.S.'s influence has extended to other platforms, according to the report, including a private Discord server that has been used as a central hub for discussion and promotion of content. It has also been seen on TikTok, where users share content or ask for links to games, and Reddit, where users shared copies of A.S.S.'s maps. One YouTube video posted to the A.S.S. Discord server introduces a game based on the Virginia Tech shooting of 2007, which contains live footage from the attack and has received dozens of comments. A.S.S. specializes in making highly detailed, disturbing re-creations of actual tragedies, the ADL said. The group is part of a larger online subculture known as TCC, many of whose followers have a fascination with serial killers and mass murderers. A.S.S. had also been running a Roblox group that contained about 800 members, where the leaders share announcements and promote their Discord server, according to the report. Roblox said it shut the group down last Friday after being contacted by the ADL. "The maps created by A.S.S. are not simple game environments-they are disturbingly graphic and detailed, designed to mimic the mass shootings they're based on with unsettling accuracy and gore," according to the ADL report. In A.S.S.'s games, players maim or dismember other players or characters, actions that are nominally prohibited by Roblox's community standards. Games that re-create incidents of mass violence can desensitize young people to such events and normalize the re-creations as a form of entertainment, according to the ADL. In one A.S.S. group game seen by Bloomberg, more than 60 players gathered in a re-creation of the events at Columbine. Gamers' Lego-like avatars formed a mob in front of the school holding pitchforks and repeating the White supremacist phrase "You will not replace us." Players with guns shot students while other players dressed as police officers attempted to gun down the attackers. The game was removed. However, later the same day a new shooting game that advertised its connection to A.S.S. debuted, attracting more than 1,000 visits before it too was removed. "Roblox is committed to safety and civility, and our Community Standards explicitly prohibit any content or behavior that depicts, supports, glorifies, or promotes terrorist or extremist organizations in any way," a Roblox spokesperson said in a statement to Bloomberg. "We take steps to remove violative material and accounts from our platform detected by our AI scans, flagged by users, or flagged by external organizations." Discord said it has a "zero-tolerance policy against content that glorifies violence on our platform. We take decisive actions when we detect violations of our policies, including removing content, banning users, shutting down servers, and engaging with law enforcement." The Discord server referred to in the ADL report was removed by Discord's Counter Extremism team on April 18, before it was notified by the ADL, according to the company. Discord has removed several accounts related to the community leaders of A.S.S. and has set up alerts so they can track and ban the accounts if they return. A spokesperson for TikTok said its Community Guidelines "prohibit the promotion or incitement of violence, including praising a violent act, and we do not allow anyone to promote violent or hateful actors." Representatives for Reddit and YouTube didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Leaders of the A.S.S. community couldn't be reached for comment. Roblox Corp., which attracts about 85 million players to its platform daily, has struggled at times to police content. The site is particularly popular with younger kids, though in recent years has begun skewing to older teens and young adults. The company has been called out by researchers and law enforcement officials for not doing enough to protect children from sexual predators and has had to deal with other games inspired by real-life mass shootings for years. The ADL previously found re-creations of the mosque shooting in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019, which were later taken down. Roblox said "the vast majority" of the community on its platform doesn't seek out the A.S.S. content and it is not easily searchable through our the site's discovery mechanism. "And because of the swift, proactive safety measures we have in place, it is very unlikely users would be exposed to such content on our platform," the spokesperson said. "Combatting content that supports extremist views is an internet-wide challenge, as these individuals constantly try to evade detection." Roblox works with organizations including the United Nations-supported Tech Against Terrorism initiative and the Simon Wiesenthal Center, which gave Roblox a high score on moderating hate online. The company is constantly evaluating and improving its moderation practices, according to the spokesperson. Despite Roblox's efforts to take down the maps created by A.S.S., the group continues to find ways to make the content available, according to the report. For example, it has turned to hosting games on paid Roblox private servers, which give players control over who is admitted to the spaces and make it harder to be detected by Roblox and have their accounts suspended.
The Star
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Roblox user group re-creates real-life mass shooting events
A group of Roblox users is re-creating real life school shooting incidents on the gaming platform that's popular with kids, including attacks at Columbine High School and the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Known as "Active Shooter Studios', or A.S.S., the group has attracted hundreds of fans on Roblox to its detailed re-creations of the events, according to a report prepared by the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism. A.S.S.'s influence has extended to other platforms, according to the report, including a private Discord server that has been used as a central hub for discussion and promotion of content. It has also been seen on TikTok, where users share content or ask for links to games, and Reddit, where users shared copies of A.S.S.'s maps. One YouTube video posted to the A.S.S. Discord server introduces a game based on the Virginia Tech shooting of 2007, which contains live footage from the attack and has received dozens of comments. A.S.S. specialises in making highly detailed, disturbing re-creations of actual tragedies, the ADL said. The group is part of a larger online subculture known as TCC, many of whose followers have a fascination with serial killers and mass murderers. A.S.S. had also been running a Roblox group that contained about 800 members, where the leaders share announcements and promote their Discord server, according to the report. Roblox said it shut the group down last Friday after being contacted by the ADL. "The maps created by A.S.S. are not simple game environments – they are disturbingly graphic and detailed, designed to mimic the mass shootings they're based on with unsettling accuracy and gore,' according to the ADL report. In A.S.S.'s games, players maim or dismember other players or characters, actions that are nominally prohibited by Roblox's community standards. Games that re-create incidents of mass violence can desensitise young people to such events and normalise the re-creations as a form of entertainment, according to the ADL. In one A.S.S. group game seen by Bloomberg, more than 60 players gathered in a re-creation of the events at Columbine. Gamers' Lego-like avatars formed a mob in front of the school holding pitchforks and repeating the White supremacist phrase "You will not replace us'. Players with guns shot students while other players dressed as police officers attempted to gun down the attackers. The game was removed. However, later the same day a new shooting game that advertised its connection to A.S.S. debuted, attracting more than 1,000 visits before it too was removed. "Roblox is committed to safety and civility, and our Community Standards explicitly prohibit any content or behaviour that depicts, supports, glorifies, or promotes terrorist or extremist organisations in any way,' a Roblox spokesperson said in a statement to Bloomberg. "We take steps to remove violative material and accounts from our platform detected by our AI scans, flagged by users, or flagged by external organisations.' Discord said it has a "zero-tolerance policy against content that glorifies violence on our platform. We take decisive actions when we detect violations of our policies, including removing content, banning users, shutting down servers, and engaging with law enforcement.' The Discord server referred to in the ADL report was removed by Discord's Counter Extremism team on April 18, before it was notified by the ADL, according to the company. Discord has removed several accounts related to the community leaders of A.S.S. and has set up alerts so they can track and ban the accounts if they return. A spokesperson for TikTok said its Community Guidelines "prohibit the promotion or incitement of violence, including praising a violent act, and we do not allow anyone to promote violent or hateful actors.' Representatives for Reddit and YouTube didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Leaders of the A.S.S. community couldn't be reached for comment. Roblox Corp, which attracts about 85 million players to its platform daily, has struggled at times to police content. The site is particularly popular with younger kids, though in recent years has begun skewing to older teens and young adults. The company has been called out by researchers and law enforcement officials for not doing enough to protect children from sexual predators and has had to deal with other games inspired by real-life mass shootings for years. The ADL previously found re-creations of the mosque shooting in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019, which were later taken down. Roblox said "the vast majority' of the community on its platform doesn't seek out the A.S.S. content and it is not easily searchable through our the site's discovery mechanism. "And because of the swift, proactive safety measures we have in place, it is very unlikely users would be exposed to such content on our platform,' the spokesperson said. "Combatting content that supports extremist views is an internet-wide challenge, as these individuals constantly try to evade detection.' Roblox works with organisations including the United Nations-supported Tech Against Terrorism initiative and the Simon Wiesenthal Center, which gave Roblox a high score on moderating hate online. The company is constantly evaluating and improving its moderation practices, according to the spokesperson. Despite Roblox's efforts to take down the maps created by A.S.S., the group continues to find ways to make the content available, according to the report. For example, it has turned to hosting games on paid Roblox private servers, which give players control over who is admitted to the spaces and make it harder to be detected by Roblox and have their accounts suspended. – Bloomberg
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Roblox Has A Community Of Players Who Recreate School Shootings
A new report has exposed a 'true crime' community of Roblox players who reenact real-life murders. A part of this group is reportedly dedicated to digitally recreating and playing through famous school shootings within the extremely popular free-to-play game. On April 21, the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism published a new report that goes in-depth on these digital school shooting games. The games, like nearly everything in Roblox, are created by users and shared online using Roblox's in-game tools and browser. Many of the most popular school shooting simulators are created by a group known as Active Shooter Studios or A.S.S. A.S.S has reportedly created Roblox maps and online games based on mass shootings like those that have happened at Uvalde, Parkland, and Columbine. One of the studio's most popular maps is 'Carbine,' a Roblox recreation of the 1999 Columbine high school massacre which took the lives of a dozen students and one teacher while injuring many more. In 'Carbine' players can take on the role of the shooters themselves and recreate the deadly shooting. As reported by the ADL, these maps aren't just simple pieces of geometry that mimic a real world location. Instead they are highly detailed and contain disturbing features. The report says that one Roblox experience created by A.S.S. which recreates the 2022 Uvalde shooting features NPCs that resemble children who will hide under desks and play dead when they hear gunfire. Most of the experiences created by the studio reportedly end when the police arrive. Players can then fight to the death or commit suicide. A.S.S. has struggled to keep their maps available in Roblox as the company removes them quickly when they are reported or get flagged by internal moderation tools. The studio, which boasts a Discord server containing over 500 members, has resorted to using private Roblox servers to host their games behind a paywall. The idea is that this makes it harder for Roblox Studio to find and remove the games, all of which reportedly break many of Roblox's community guidelines and rules. Bloomberg reports that Roblox has removed one of A.S.S's groups which contained over 800 players after it was contacted by the ADL. The outlet reports that one of the games it witnessed featured a mob of players in front of Columbine yelling the white supremacist phrase 'You will not replace us.' White supremacy plays a large part in the school shooting community on Roblox. As an example of how tricky it is to contain these types of disturbing games, Bloomberg reports that after Roblox removed the Columbine experience, a new mass shooting game from A.S.S appeared online. It reportedly quickly received over 1,00o visits before it was also removed. 'Because such games recreate extremist-related mass shootings—such as the 2022 Buffalo shooting, in which the perpetrator deliberately targeted and killed Black people—they may also serve as a gateway to extremist content,' warns the ADL in its report. 'Players might be prompted to seek out more information about these violent events, which can lead them to manifestos or videos created by the attackers. In some cases, they may also encounter content produced by accelerationist white supremacists, which glorifies these killers and aims to radicalize others to follow in their footsteps.' Roblox, Discord, and TikTok each told Bloomberg that they actively remove content focused on or glorifying extremists or violent crimes. Despite that, Kotaku was able to find numerous videos about 'Carbine' and other digital recreations of school shootings on these platforms. YouTube and Reddit, where some of this content can be found as well, declined to provide a comment to the outlet. Roblox has over 80 million active users logging on every day. Many are kids or teens. The company has received criticism in the past for failing to keep the platform safe as it grows bigger and bigger. It has also come under fire for allegedly exploiting the children who make most of the game's content. Roblox turns 20 years old next September. . For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
