{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,20]],"date-time":"2026-05-20T16:36:56Z","timestamp":1779295016489,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":61,"publisher":"Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2014,5,1]],"date-time":"2014-05-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1398902400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.acm.org\/publications\/policies\/copyright_policy#Background"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000144","name":"Division of Computer and Network Systems","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["CNS 0952420, CNS 0831785"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CNS 0952420, CNS 0831785"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000144","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["dl.acm.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["ACM Trans. Internet Technol."],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2014,5]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Online gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry that entertains a large, global population. One unfortunate phenomenon, however, poisons the competition and spoils the fun: cheating. The costs of cheating span from industry-supported expenditures to detect and limit it, to victims\u2019 monetary losses due to cyber crime.<\/jats:p><jats:p>This article studies cheaters in the Steam Community, an online social network built on top of the world\u2019s dominant digital game delivery platform. We collected information about more than 12 million gamers connected in a global social network, of which more than 700 thousand have their profiles flagged as cheaters. We also observed timing information of the cheater flags, as well as the dynamics of the cheaters\u2019 social neighborhoods.<\/jats:p><jats:p>We discovered that cheaters are well embedded in the social and interaction networks: their network position is largely indistinguishable from that of fair players. Moreover, we noticed that the number of cheaters is not correlated with the geographical, real-world population density, or with the local popularity of the Steam Community. Also, we observed a social penalty involved with being labeled as a cheater: cheaters lose friends immediately after the cheating label is publicly applied.<\/jats:p><jats:p>Most importantly, we observed that cheating behavior spreads through a social mechanism: the number of cheater friends of a fair player is correlated with the likelihood of her becoming a cheater in the future. This allows us to propose ideas for limiting cheating contagion.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1145\/2602570","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2014,6,3]],"date-time":"2014-06-03T12:31:21Z","timestamp":1401798681000},"page":"1-25","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1145\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":51,"title":["Cheating in Online Games"],"prefix":"10.1145","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Jeremy","family":"Blackburn","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"University of South Florida"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Nicolas","family":"Kourtellis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of South Florida"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"John","family":"Skvoretz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of South Florida"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Matei","family":"Ripeanu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of British Columbia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Adriana","family":"Iamnitchi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of South Florida"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"320","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2014,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_2_1_1","volume-title":"Proceedings of the IEEE 3rd International Conference on Social Computing (SocCom\u201911)","author":"Ahmad M.","unstructured":"Ahmad , M. , Keegan , B. , Sullivan , S. , Williams , D. , Srivastava , J. , and Contractor , N . 2011. Illicit bits: Detecting and analyzing contraband networks in massively multiplayer online games . In Proceedings of the IEEE 3rd International Conference on Social Computing (SocCom\u201911) . IEEE, 127--134. Ahmad, M., Keegan, B., Sullivan, S., Williams, D., Srivastava, J., and Contractor, N. 2011. Illicit bits: Detecting and analyzing contraband networks in massively multiplayer online games. In Proceedings of the IEEE 3rd International Conference on Social Computing (SocCom\u201911). IEEE, 127--134."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_2_1","unstructured":"APB Reloaded Dev Blog. 2011. http:\/\/goo.gl\/m9klr. APB Reloaded Dev Blog. 2011. http:\/\/goo.gl\/m9klr."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_3_1","volume-title":"The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone---Especially Ourselves","author":"Ariely D.","unstructured":"Ariely , D. 2012. The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone---Especially Ourselves . Harper . Ariely, D. 2012. The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone---Especially Ourselves. Harper."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1996029.1996038"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_5_1","volume-title":"Proceeding of the 1st International Conference on Internet Science.","author":"Blackburn J.","unstructured":"Blackburn , J. and Iamnitchi , A . 2013. Relationships under the microscope with interaction-backed social networks . In Proceeding of the 1st International Conference on Internet Science. Blackburn, J. and Iamnitchi, A. 2013. Relationships under the microscope with interaction-backed social networks. In Proceeding of the 1st International Conference on Internet Science."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/2187836.2187848"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_7_1","first-page":"173","article-title":"Peer effects in academic cheating","volume":"43","author":"Carrell S.","year":"2008","unstructured":"Carrell , S. , Malmstrom , F. , and West , J. 2008 . Peer effects in academic cheating . J. Human Resources 43 , 1, 173 -- 207 . Carrell, S., Malmstrom, F., and West, J. 2008. Peer effects in academic cheating. J. Human Resources 43, 1, 173--207.","journal-title":"J. Human Resources"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/TNET.2009.2034371"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_9_1","volume-title":"Conference Proceedings of the IEEE International Performance, Computing, and Communications Conference. 261--268","author":"Claypool M.","unstructured":"Claypool , M. , LaPoint , D. , and Winslow , J . 2003. Network analysis of counter-strike and Starcraft . In Conference Proceedings of the IEEE International Performance, Computing, and Communications Conference. 261--268 . Claypool, M., LaPoint, D., and Winslow, J. 2003. Network analysis of counter-strike and Starcraft. In Conference Proceedings of the IEEE International Performance, Computing, and Communications Conference. 261--268."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5555\/1202447"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_11_1","unstructured":"Cross T. 2011. All the world\u2019s a game. http:\/\/www.economist.com\/node\/21541164. Cross T. 2011. All the world\u2019s a game. http:\/\/www.economist.com\/node\/21541164."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1979742.1979575"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1240624.1240750"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-642-02774-1_61"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1386\/jgvw.3.1.21_1"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_16_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/TNET.2005.850221"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/637201.637223"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_18_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/963900.963916"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_19_1","unstructured":"Fitocracy Inc. 2012. Fitocracy. http:\/\/www.fitocracy.com. Fitocracy Inc. 2012. Fitocracy. http:\/\/www.fitocracy.com."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_20_1","unstructured":"Foursquare Labs Inc. 2012. Foursquare. http:\/\/www.foursquare.com. Foursquare Labs Inc. 2012. Foursquare. http:\/\/www.foursquare.com."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_21_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1230040.1230082"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_22_1","volume-title":"Gartner says by","author":"Gartner","year":"2015","unstructured":"Gartner . 2011. Gartner says by 2015 , more than 50 percent of organizations that manage innovation processes will gamify those processes. http:\/\/www.gartner.com\/newsroom\/id\/1629214. Gartner. 2011. Gartner says by 2015, more than 50 percent of organizations that manage innovation processes will gamify those processes. http:\/\/www.gartner.com\/newsroom\/id\/1629214."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_23_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Giles J. 2010. Inside the race to hack the kinect. New Scientist 208 2789 22--23. Giles J. 2010. Inside the race to hack the kinect. New Scientist 208 2789 22--23.","DOI":"10.1016\/S0262-4079(10)62989-2"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_24_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1467-9280.2009.02306.x"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_25_1","first-page":"1","article-title":"Breaking reality: Exploring pervasive cheating in Foursquare","volume":"2011","author":"Glas R.","year":"2011","unstructured":"Glas , R. 2011 . Breaking reality: Exploring pervasive cheating in Foursquare . In Proceedings of DiGRA 2011 , 1 -- 15 . Glas, R. 2011. Breaking reality: Exploring pervasive cheating in Foursquare. In Proceedings of DiGRA 2011, 1--15.","journal-title":"Proceedings of DiGRA"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_26_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1103\/PhysRevLett.96.208701"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_27_1","unstructured":"Halotags. 2012. Halotags Halo 3 & Halo 4 MLG level 50 accounts for sale. http:\/\/www.halotags.com. Halotags. 2012. Halotags Halo 3 & Halo 4 MLG level 50 accounts for sale. http:\/\/www.halotags.com."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_28_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"14","DOI":"10.69864\/ijbsam.5-1.48","article-title":"Game design as marketing: How game mechanics create demand for virtual goods","volume":"5","author":"Hamari J.","year":"2010","unstructured":"Hamari , J. and Lehdonvirta , V. 2010 . Game design as marketing: How game mechanics create demand for virtual goods . Int. J. Bus. Sci. Appl. Man. 5 , 1, 14 -- 29 . Hamari, J. and Lehdonvirta, V. 2010. Game design as marketing: How game mechanics create demand for virtual goods. Int. J. Bus. Sci. Appl. Man. 5, 1, 14--29.","journal-title":"Int. J. Bus. Sci. Appl. Man."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_29_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ICDCS.2011.42"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_30_1","first-page":"569","article-title":"Trueskill: A Bayesian skill rating system","volume":"19","author":"Herbrich R.","year":"2007","unstructured":"Herbrich , R. , Minka , T. , and Graepel , T. 2007 . Trueskill: A Bayesian skill rating system . Adv. Neural Inf. Proc. Syst. 19 , 569 . Herbrich, R., Minka, T., and Graepel, T. 2007. Trueskill: A Bayesian skill rating system. Adv. Neural Inf. Proc. Syst. 19, 569.","journal-title":"Adv. Neural Inf. Proc. Syst."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_31_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.18637\/jss.v028.i08"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_32_1","volume-title":"Home Ludens: A Study of the Play-Element in Culture","author":"Huizinga J.","year":"1950","unstructured":"Huizinga , J. 1950 . Home Ludens: A Study of the Play-Element in Culture . Beacon Press, Boston , MA. Huizinga, J. 1950. Home Ludens: A Study of the Play-Element in Culture. Beacon Press, Boston, MA."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_33_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/SocialCom.2010.36"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_34_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kourtellis N. Alahakoon T. Simha R. Iamnitchi A. and Tripathi R. 2012. Identifying high betweenness centrality nodes in large social networks. Social Netw. Anal. Mining 1--16. Kourtellis N. Alahakoon T. Simha R. Iamnitchi A. and Tripathi R. 2012. Identifying high betweenness centrality nodes in large social networks. Social Netw. Anal. Mining 1--16.","DOI":"10.1007\/s13278-012-0076-6"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_35_1","volume-title":"Proceedings of PAISI 07","author":"Ku Y.","unstructured":"Ku , Y. , Chen , Y. , Wu , K. , and Chiu , C . 2007. An empirical analysis of online gaming crime characteristics from 2002 to 2004 . In Proceedings of PAISI 07 . 34--45. Ku, Y., Chen, Y., Wu, K., and Chiu, C. 2007. An empirical analysis of online gaming crime characteristics from 2002 to 2004. In Proceedings of PAISI 07. 34--45."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_36_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10551-007-9659-y"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_37_1","volume-title":"Steamed: Valve software battles video-game cheaters","author":"Kushner D.","year":"2010","unstructured":"Kushner , D. 2010 . Steamed: Valve software battles video-game cheaters . http:\/\/goo.gl\/wWgq6n. Kushner, D. 2010. Steamed: Valve software battles video-game cheaters. http:\/\/goo.gl\/wWgq6n."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_38_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Landers R. and Callan R. 2011. Casual social games as serious games: The psychology of gamification in undergraduate education and employee training. Serious Games and Edutainment Applications 399--423. Landers R. and Callan R. 2011. Casual social games as serious games: The psychology of gamification in undergraduate education and employee training. Serious Games and Edutainment Applications 399--423.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4471-2161-9_20"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_39_1","first-page":"838","article-title":"Leveraging social media for preventive care-a gamification system and insights","volume":"180","author":"Lin R.","year":"2012","unstructured":"Lin , R. and Zhu , X. 2012 . Leveraging social media for preventive care-a gamification system and insights . Stud. Health Tech. Informat. 180 , 838 . Lin, R. and Zhu, X. 2012. Leveraging social media for preventive care-a gamification system and insights. Stud. Health Tech. Informat. 180, 838.","journal-title":"Stud. Health Tech. Informat."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_40_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Longini I. M. Nizam A. Xu S. Ungchusak K. Hanshaoworakul W. Cummings D. A. T. and Halloran M. E. 2005. Containing pandemic influenza at the source. Science 309 5737 1083--1087. Longini I. M. Nizam A. Xu S. Ungchusak K. Hanshaoworakul W. Cummings D. A. T. and Halloran M. E. 2005. Containing pandemic influenza at the source. Science 309 5737 1083--1087.","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1115717"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_41_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/2441776.2441820"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_42_1","volume-title":"Proceedings of the 3rd Workshop on Online Social Networks (WOSN\u201910)","author":"Nazir A.","unstructured":"Nazir , A. , Raza , S. , Chuah , C.-N. , and Schipper , B . 2010. Ghostbusting facebook: Detecting and characterizing phantom profiles in online social gaming applications . In Proceedings of the 3rd Workshop on Online Social Networks (WOSN\u201910) . Nazir, A., Raza, S., Chuah, C.-N., and Schipper, B. 2010. Ghostbusting facebook: Detecting and characterizing phantom profiles in online social gaming applications. In Proceedings of the 3rd Workshop on Online Social Networks (WOSN\u201910)."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_43_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.0610245104"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_44_1","unstructured":"Parfit D. 1984. Reasons and Persons. Oxford University Press. Parfit D. 1984. Reasons and Persons . Oxford University Press."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_45_1","unstructured":"Pelechrinis K. Krishnamurthy P. and Zhang K. 2012. Gaming the game: Honeypot venues against cheaters in location-based social networks. arXiv. Pelechrinis K. Krishnamurthy P. and Zhang K. 2012. Gaming the game: Honeypot venues against cheaters in location-based social networks. arXiv."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_46_1","unstructured":"Re-logic. 2011. Terraria. http:\/\/store.steampowered.com\/app\/105600\/. Re-logic. 2011. Terraria. http:\/\/store.steampowered.com\/app\/105600\/."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_47_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s11162-008-9116-5"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_48_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1103\/PhysRevE.86.036117"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_49_1","volume-title":"Proceedings of the 3rd Workshop on Online Social Networks (WOSN\u201910)","author":"Scellato S.","unstructured":"Scellato , S. , Mascolo , C. , Musolesi , M. , and Latora , V . 2010. Distance matters: Geo-social metrics for online social networks . In Proceedings of the 3rd Workshop on Online Social Networks (WOSN\u201910) . Scellato, S., Mascolo, C., Musolesi, M., and Latora, V. 2010. Distance matters: Geo-social metrics for online social networks. In Proceedings of the 3rd Workshop on Online Social Networks (WOSN\u201910)."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_50_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.18637\/jss.v042.i07"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_51_1","volume-title":"Steam controls up to 70&percnt","author":"Senior T.","unstructured":"Senior , T. 2011. Steam controls up to 70&percnt ; of the PC download market and is \u201ctremendously profitable\u201d. http:\/\/goo.gl\/MjgA3. Senior, T. 2011. Steam controls up to 70&percnt; of the PC download market and is \u201ctremendously profitable\u201d. http:\/\/goo.gl\/MjgA3."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_52_1","unstructured":"Staudt S. 2011. Steam condenser. https:\/\/github.com\/koraktor\/steam-condenser. Staudt S. 2011. Steam condenser. https:\/\/github.com\/koraktor\/steam-condenser."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_53_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.socnet.2010.06.001"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_54_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/2145204.2145362"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_55_1","unstructured":"Trendy Entertainment. 2011. Dungeon Defenders. http:\/\/store.steampowered.com\/app\/65800\/. Trendy Entertainment. 2011. Dungeon Defenders. http:\/\/store.steampowered.com\/app\/65800\/."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_56_1","unstructured":"Valve. 2012a. The international - dota 2. http:\/\/www.dota2.com\/international. Valve. 2012a. The international - dota 2. http:\/\/www.dota2.com\/international."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_57_1","unstructured":"Valve. 2012b. Steam community update now live. http:\/\/store.steampowered.com\/news\/8788\/. Valve. 2012b. Steam community update now live. http:\/\/store.steampowered.com\/news\/8788\/."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_58_1","volume-title":"Proceedings of the 3rd Workshop on Online Social Networks (WOSN\u201910)","author":"Wei X.","unstructured":"Wei , X. , Yang , J. , Adamic , L. , Ara\u00fajo , R. , and Rekhi , M . 2010. Diffusion dynamics of games on online social networks . In Proceedings of the 3rd Workshop on Online Social Networks (WOSN\u201910) . Wei, X., Yang, J., Adamic, L., Ara\u00fajo, R., and Rekhi, M. 2010. Diffusion dynamics of games on online social networks. In Proceedings of the 3rd Workshop on Online Social Networks (WOSN\u201910)."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_59_1","volume-title":"Win: How Game Thinking Can Revolutionize Your Business","author":"Werbach K.","year":"2012","unstructured":"Werbach , K. and Hunter , D . 2012 . For the Win: How Game Thinking Can Revolutionize Your Business . Wharton Digital Press . Werbach, K. and Hunter, D. 2012. For the Win: How Game Thinking Can Revolutionize Your Business. Wharton Digital Press."},{"key":"e_1_2_2_60_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1519065.1519089"},{"key":"e_1_2_2_61_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1958824.1958854"}],"container-title":["ACM Transactions on Internet Technology"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dl.acm.org\/doi\/10.1145\/2602570","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/dl.acm.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1145\/2602570","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,18]],"date-time":"2025-06-18T07:01:16Z","timestamp":1750230076000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dl.acm.org\/doi\/10.1145\/2602570"}},"subtitle":["A Social Network Perspective"],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2014,5]]},"references-count":61,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2014,5]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1145\/2602570"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1145\/2602570","relation":{},"ISSN":["1533-5399","1557-6051"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1533-5399","type":"print"},{"value":"1557-6051","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2014,5]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2013-02-01","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2013-12-01","order":1,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2014-05-01","order":2,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}]}}