# Living the Scout Oath and Law Online Part of the Competitive Gaming Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/competitive-gaming/guide/index.md) *2. Character in Online Play* > **2.** Do the following: Note: View the Personal Safety Awareness "Digital Safety" video (with your parent or guardian's permission.) A stranger's screen name and a muted microphone can make it feel like nobody's really watching how you act online. That's exactly why the Scout Oath and Law matter more, not less, once you put on a headset. Before working through the sections below, watch the Digital Safety video linked in the Official Resources section — with your parent or guardian's permission — since it sets up the online safety habits the rest of this requirement builds on. It helps to have the Scout Oath and Law in front of you while you work through this requirement, since 2a and 2b both ask you to connect your own behavior back to specific points of it. **The Scout Oath** — What you promise every time you recite it - [ ] On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; - [ ] to help other people at all times; - [ ] to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight. **The Scout Law** — A Scout is... - [ ] Trustworthy - [ ] Loyal - [ ] Helpful - [ ] Friendly - [ ] Courteous - [ ] Kind - [ ] Obedient - [ ] Cheerful - [ ] Thrifty - [ ] Brave - [ ] Clean - [ ] Reverent ## Requirement 2a > **2a.** Define the term "toxicity in gaming." Describe a real or hypothetical example of toxic behavior in online play and outline how the situation could be prevented or resolved by applying the Scout Oath and Law. **Toxicity in gaming** describes behavior that makes an online space worse for the people in it — trash talk that turns into harassment, intentionally sabotaging teammates, hate speech, or targeted bullying of a specific player. It's called "toxic" because, like a toxin, it spreads: one player's bad behavior often triggers more of the same from others in the same match. When you describe your example, be specific. What actually happened? Who was affected? Then work backward through the Scout Law points above and ask which ones were being ignored — was it a failure to be **Courteous**? **Kind**? **Friendly**? Naming the specific point makes your answer concrete instead of just saying "it was against the Scout Law." > **Be Prepared! If You Witness Toxicity Mid-Match** > > - **Step one**: Don't match the energy. Responding to toxicity with more toxicity almost always escalates the situation. > - **Step two**: Use the game's mute, block, or report tools immediately — you don't have to keep listening to someone being hostile. > - **Step three**: If a teammate or friend is the target, check in with them after the match. A quick "that was out of line, are you good?" applies the Scout Law point of being **Helpful** in a real, low-key way. ## Official Resources [Good Game Playbook for Teens (PDF)](https://staticctf.ubisoft.com/8aefmxkxpxwl/1wJowtd0nH3HS8gAANwF3i/0d0f9fe2d3f9ac6315e069b109aad640/Good_Game_Playbook_for_Teens_EN.pdf): A teen-focused guide with concrete scripts and strategies for responding to toxic behavior in online games. [Game Changer Resource Guide (website)](https://alltogethernow.org.au/our-work/far-right-extremism/game-changers-resources-guide/): A resource guide on recognizing and responding to extremist and toxic content that can surface in gaming spaces. ## Requirement 2b > **2b.** List five strategies for handling negative online gaming experiences. Describe how each strategy reflects a point of the Scout Oath or Law. Handling a bad online experience well is its own skill — one you'll use far more often than you'd like. A few strategies worth considering (pick five, and be ready to tie each to a specific Scout Oath or Law point): - **Mute or block** a player who's being disruptive, rather than engaging with them. - **Report** behavior that violates a game's terms of service, so moderators can act on it. - **Step away** from a match or session if it's affecting your mood — protecting the "mentally awake" part of the Scout Oath. - **Talk it through** with a parent, guardian, or trusted friend after a rough session. - **Set boundaries in advance**, like agreeing with friends on what kind of trash talk is and isn't okay before you start playing. For each strategy, explain the *connection* explicitly. "Muting a toxic player reflects being **Clean**, because it keeps the language and tone of my gaming space respectful" is a stronger answer than just listing the strategy alone. ## Official Resources [How To Deal With Toxic Players: A Gamer's Guide to Staying Sane Online (website)](https://www.twoaveragegamers.com/how-to-deal-with-toxic-players-a-gamers-guide-to-staying-sane-online/): Practical, gamer-written strategies for managing toxic teammates and opponents without losing your cool. [Bullying and Cyberbullying (website)](https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/bullying-abuse-safety/types-bullying/bullying-cyberbullying/): Covers how cyberbullying shows up specifically in gaming and online chat spaces, and how to respond. ## Requirement 2c > **2c.** Research the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating system. Record the ratings of the video games you own and compare them to your age group. Explain to your counselor whether you agree with the ESRB descriptions. The **ESRB** rates games the way the movie industry rates films — but instead of just an age category, it also lists specific **content descriptors** (like "Violence," "Strong Language," or "In-Game Purchases") explaining exactly why a game earned its rating. **ESRB Rating Categories** — From most to least restrictive - [ ] **Adults Only (AO)**: Content suitable only for ages 18 and up. - [ ] **Mature (M)**: Ages 17 and up — intense violence, blood, sexual content, and/or strong language. - [ ] **Teen (T)**: Ages 13 and up — violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, and/or minimal blood. - [ ] **Everyone 10+ (E10+)**: Ages 10 and up — more cartoon, fantasy, or mild violence than the Everyone category. - [ ] **Everyone (E)**: Content generally suitable for all ages. - [ ] **Early Childhood (EC)**: Content intended for young children. When you compare your own games' ratings to your age group, be honest about what you find — the goal isn't to prove you only play "appropriate" games, it's to think critically about whether the rating actually matches your experience playing it. ## Official Resources [Video Games Age Ratings Explained (website)](https://www.internetmatters.org/resources/video-games-age-ratings-explained/): A parent- and Scout-friendly breakdown of what each ESRB rating and content descriptor actually means. [Search ESRB Game Ratings (website)](https://www.esrb.org/search/): The official ESRB database — look up the exact rating and content descriptors for any game you own. ## Requirement 2d > **2d.** List five ways to create a positive online gaming environment for yourself and others. Demonstrate one of these methods with your troop, patrol, or family. Building a good gaming environment is proactive, not just reactive — it's not only about handling bad moments (that was Req 2b), it's about actively making a space better. A few ideas to draw from: - Give genuine, specific compliments on good plays instead of only reacting to mistakes. - Welcome new or less-experienced players into a group session instead of leaving them out. - Set clear, kind expectations for how your group talks to each other before a match starts. - Step in — respectfully — when you see someone else being excluded or targeted. - Model good sportsmanship after a loss instead of blaming teammates. For your demonstration, pick something you can actually show your counselor evidence of — a screenshot of an encouraging message, a photo from a family game night where you set the ground rules out loud, or a short write-up of how it went. ## Official Resources [The Ultimate Guide to Non-Toxic Gaming Communities (website)](https://www.twoaveragegamers.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-non-toxic-gaming-communities/): Ideas for building and maintaining a healthy gaming community, from a gamer's perspective. [What Kids Can Do (website)](https://www.stopbullying.gov/kids/what-you-can-do): A federal resource on positive bystander behavior that applies directly to online gaming spaces. ## Official Resources [Digital Safety (video)](https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/YPSAT/YT%20Mod1%20Final%20Master%20Small.mp4): Scouting America's Personal Safety Awareness video on staying safe in digital spaces — watch with a parent or guardian's permission before starting this requirement. Character online is the foundation for everything else in this badge — including how you take care of yourself. Requirement 3 turns the lens inward. --- - Previous: [The History of Video Gaming and Esports](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/competitive-gaming/guide/req1/index.md) - Next: [Gamer Health and Balance](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/competitive-gaming/guide/req3/index.md)