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  • 2016-10-25 (xsd:date)
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  • Did Minecraft Introduce 'Sex Mods'? (en)
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  • On 21 October 2016 a parenting blog published an editorial penned by a guilt-ridden mother about her purported discovery of sex mods for the massively popular Minecraft sandbox video game: The post rattled off purported stranger danger statistics unrelated to Minecraft or sex mods and advised parents to take the standard steps of locking down and/or monitoring their children's Internet time. (Tips of that sort are standard advice given to parents about Internet safety and have nothing to do with Minecraft specifically.) The mother in question stated she did a little research, but that research didn't pertain to the existence of Minecraft sex mods. The popular parenting blog Scary Mommy tackled the topic on 24 October 2016, also presenting information largely unrelated to the functions of Minecraft: The Scary Mommy writer similarly reported that she engaged in some research, which appeared to consist of viewing YouTube videos about (but not hosted by or affiliated with Minecraft). The writer was appalled that some of the videos were not age-protected, although since those videos are not official Minecraft media, responsibility for their policing rests with YouTube. Few things in 2016 have captivated children like Minecraft (software lauded for its ability to operate as a covert educational platform), and few things have terrified parents more than sex perverts on the Internet. Moreover, Minecraft's popularity with children is often matched only by their parents' lack of understanding of the game. The confluence of these circumstances means that if a Minecraft rumor about sexual predators were to spread unchecked, children could be deprived of one of the most enjoyable learning experiences available to them. Neither of the articles referenced above explained what a Minecraft sex mod might be, nor how the process of modifying Minecraft works. We contacted both Minecraft maker Mojang as well as Bec Oakley, the owner of a popular Minecraft web guide for parents called MineMum. Mojang did not respond to our inquiry, but Oakley was aware of the viral rumors and explained how mods work for Minecraft players: We asked Oakley whether it was possible for players to encounter Minecraft sex mods without having gone through the lengthy process of specifically installing those mods themselves. Surmising that YouTube videos (not Minecraft content) was responsible for web-wide parental alarm, she responded: In short, the Minecraft sex mod frenzy is likely borne of a combination of fears about Internet predators, ignorance of the manner in which Minecraft works, and the universal popularity of articles warning that a common and popular children's pastime harbors a hidden danger. There are no sex mods or sex levels in the official Minecraft game, and such mods can only be accessed after an intentional installation of them or on a multiplayer server. The majority of Minecraft mods are non-sexual in nature, and parents concerned about their children being exposed to sex mods are likely better served by restricting their YouTube access than by taking the game away from them. (en)
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