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Mike Pappas
CEO/Co-Founder at Modulate
Mike Pappas is the CEO and Co-founder of Modulate, a company that develops technology to foster safer and more inclusive online voice chat.13 He graduated from MIT with a BS in Physics and Applied Mathematics in 2014.2
Pappas's professional experience includes:
- CEO/Co-Founder at Modulate (August 2017 - Present)3
- Software Architect at Lola (November 2015 - May 2018)3
- Technology Associate at Bridgewater Associates (September 2014 - October 2015)3
At Modulate, Pappas works on developing partnerships within the industry, monitoring trends and opportunities for Modulate's technology, and reinforcing a culture of passion, respect, and personal growth.12 The company's flagship product, ToxMod, is a proactive voice moderation platform that helps combat online toxicity in gaming communities.15
Outside of work, Pappas's interests include creating themed cocktail lists, long-distance running, and playing Nintendo games.24 He is also involved with organizations such as the Family Online Safety Institute, demonstrating his commitment to online safety.3
Highlights
One of the most important surveys in gaming just dropped! The 2023 "Hate is No Game" survey, overseen by Daniel Kelley and the Center for Technology & Society, highlights a wide array of important trends in trust & safety in gaming. Let's review the highlights!
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First, the good news - for the first time in four years, adults consistently reported their experience with harassment, hate speech, and discrimination going down compared to the previous year! (Though before you celebrate too much, kids still show an increasing trend, and even among adults the numbers are too d*mn high - 60% of adult users getting severely harassed, for instance! So while it's worth crossing our fingers and keeping an eye on this shift, our work is far from done.)
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Per the report, voice chat remains the most problematic vector for harassment and hate speech. Remember, nothing hits emotions more powerfully than voice; ten great experiences in text chat can easily be overshadowed by one unmoderated harassment experience in voice.
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Kids and adults alike continue to avoid toxic games. On average, ~20% of both demographics choose to simply abandon games where they've encountered toxicity; ~30% avoid games with a toxic reputation from the get-go; and another ~30% might stick around but still limit engagement to reduce the risk of toxicity.
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For the first time, the survey asked players about how toxicity impacts spending habits, and the results were clear - 20% less spending in toxic titles. Adding that to the lost revenue from churned players or those who never buy at all, and toxicity isn't just a moral problem - it's a financial one too!
What do you think of this year's survey? Read the full report here:
