Keeping Gielinor Safe

For more than 25 years, RuneScape has connected millions of players through shared adventures, friendships and communities. 

Behind every account is a real person, and helping to keep those players safe remains one of our most important responsibilities. 

As Jagex Trust & Safety Manager, I wanted to share more about how we approach player safety, the systems that support it, and the partnerships that help us continually improve. 

Working Together to Keep Players Safe 

Online safety is a shared responsibility, and we believe the best outcomes come from working closely with experts across government, law enforcement and the wider games industry. 

Our work includes:

• Taking part in a new UK Home Office programme bringing together game developers, policymakers, and safety experts to improve online community protection 

• Working with the National Crime Agency to improve the reporting and escalating of serious concerns faster and more effective  

• Regular engagement with Ofcom, the UK Online Safety Act regulator, on online safety matters  

• Maintaining a long-standing partnership with Cambridgeshire Police to support rare but serious safeguarding cases. 

• Hosting policy makers, including MPs and the UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport at our Cambridge office to showcase our work in online and player safety  

• Sharing our experience with the wider games industry through safety forums, universities, and events such as the Trust & Safety Summit and Games Quality Forum 

Much of this work happens behind the scenes, but it directly informs how we design, operate and improve safety across RuneScape. 

Safety by Design 

Safety is not something added at the end of development. It is considered throughout the creation of our games. 

New content follows extensive guidelines to ensure it remains appropriate for our audiences and aligned with our standards. Trust & Safety teams work closely with developers throughout development, with content reviewed before release to ensure it meets our expectations. 

This helps us maintain accurate age ratings and gives players and parents confidence in the experience we provide. 

Giving Players Control 

Every player experiences RuneScape differently. 

Some enjoy the social side of the game, while others prefer to focus on quests, skilling or achievements. Our goal is to create a safe environment while giving players meaningful control over how they interact with others. 

Players have access to: 

• Chat filters that help reduce harmful language, alongside optional filtering preferences. 

• Privacy settings that allow greater control over visibility and online status. 

• Private messaging systems that require mutual consent. 

• Username moderation to prevent offensive names appearing in-game. 

• In-game reporting tools across all communication channels. 

  
  

Whether players want a highly social experience or a quieter adventure, they remain in control of how they spend their time in Gielinor.

Fair decisions, made by people 

When something is reported, how it’s handled matters.  

While automated systems help us detect concerns, the most serious reports are reviewed by trained moderators. We believe moderation decisions should be informed, consistent and fair. 

We also conduct regular safety reviews and publish annual transparency reports that explain how we approach moderation, enforcement and player protection. These reports reflect a significant commitment across Jagex and form an important part of our ongoing transparency efforts.  

Stepping In When It Matters Most 

Players may not always know how to report concerns, feel unable to do so, or be involved in situations where harmful behaviour would never be self-reported. 

That’s why we have systems designed to identify high-risk situations, particularly where  a vulnerable person could potentially come to harm. These cases are reviewed daily by our trained moderators so that we can step in when necessary. 

To be clear, we’re not interested in monitoring normal conversations or policing everyday gameplay. It’s about identifying rare situations where someone may genuinely be at risk, allowing us to work with appropriate professional support services or authorities when needed. 

Looking After the Player Behind the Screen 

Player safety extends beyond moderation. 

We recognise that real people sit behind every character and account, which is why we provide a range of tools and safeguards designed to support player wellbeing. 

For example: 

• If account spending appears unusually high, we may check in to make sure everything is okay  

• We offer payment-blocking options and take a flexible, understanding approach to refunds where appropriate  

• There are gameplay time reminders, because it’s easy to lose track of time while gaming  

• Requests from players or parents who want to restrict account access or take a break are supported 

We also provide a dedicated online safety page containing information about moderation, reporting harmful content, staying safe online, and links to external support services such as findahelpline. 

Protecting What Makes RuneScape Special 

At its heart, RuneScape is built on community. 

The friendships, clans, conversations, and shared experiences that emerge across our worlds are what makes RuneScape special. Whether players are celebrating a major achievement or simply chatting while they play, those communities matter deeply to us. 

Our role is to help protect that environment so players can focus on enjoying the game. 

We’re always learning, improving, and listening - not simply because we have to, but because we genuinely care about the people who play our games. 

Whether you’re a long-time RuneScape veteran or completely new to Gielinor, we want RuneScape to feel like a place where players can relax, be themselves, and feel confident that we’re working every day behind the scenes to help keep everyone’s experience safe. 

Building for the Future 

All of the areas outlined above form part of Jagex’s evolving Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy - a recently refreshed long-term commitment focused on building a fairer, stronger and more sustainable future for our players, our people and our planet.  

From Trust & Safety and player wellbeing to integrity, sustainability and responsible growth, these commitments help shape how we build RuneScape for the future. 

Many of these efforts have existed at Jagex for years. As we celebrate RuneScape's 25th anniversary, we also recognise the importance of being more transparent about the work taking place across our studio and the progress still to come. 

Trust & Safety will remain a key priority for Jagex, and we look forward to sharing more about the steps we are taking to help keep RuneScape a positive and welcoming place to play. 

A Note About the Author 

Mod Stevew has worked at Jagex for over 19 years across Player Support, Community Management, and Trust & Safety. In 2023, he became Jagex’s full-time Trust & Safety Manager, recognising both his experience and Jagex’s continued commitment to player safety. He works across all Jagex games alongside moderators, developers, engineers, and legal teams to help keep Gielinor safe.