ABU DHABI, 6th August, 2026 (WAM) — In collaboration with the Secure Communities Forum of the UAE Ministry of Interior, Rabdan Academy hosted the Gaming for Good: Online Safety Hackathon, supporting the UAE’s broader artificial intelligence agenda and national priorities around digital trust and cyber resilience.
The event challenged students to translate research into practical responses to emerging risks in online gaming, supported by experts from government, academia, industry, and international organisations.
As gaming plays a growing role in social interaction and the digital economy, the hackathon addressed online safety as a security, social, and economic priority. The initiative also aligned with Abu Dhabi’s ambitions in digital innovation, artificial intelligence, and resilient communities, giving students the opportunity to apply research and expert insight to evolving digital challenges.
Salem Saeed Al Saeedi, Vice President of Rabdan Academy, said: “Keeping people safe in the digital world is a shared responsibility that no single organisation can do alone. It takes partnership, new ideas, and people who are willing to make the effort. Today is an opportunity for our students to challenge themselves, think differently and share their ideas with confidence. Every solution begins with one simple idea.”
The hackathon drew on preliminary findings from Gaming Safety Stories: Hate Speech, Extremism and Player Experiences in Online Games, a research study led by the Secure Communities Forum in partnership with Rabdan Academy to better understand how players encounter harmful behaviour in gaming environments. Based on 70 valid responses to an anonymous online survey, the study identified five priority areas: limited moderation of text and voice communications, difficulty recognising harmful behaviour, ineffective reporting systems, the early, targeted recruitment of young users, and religious identity as a leading target of hate and extremist content. These findings shaped the challenge brief presented to students.
Lieutenant Colonel Dr Ahmed Alzarooni, Deputy Director General of the International Affairs Bureau at the UAE Ministry of Interior, said: “Gaming platforms are some of the largest social spaces in the world today. For millions of young people, they are where friendships form and where a sense of belonging is built. The problems students are working on today are real, drawn from real experiences and waiting for real solutions.”
The programme also included a keynote address by Dr David Scharia, Director and Chief of Branch, United Nations Security Council, Counter Terrorism Executive Directorate, alongside expert discussions on online extremism and the risks facing women and young people in digital spaces.
Students representing Rabdan Academy, United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi University, Khalifa University, Zayed University and Zayed Military University worked in three multidisciplinary groups to develop AI-enabled concepts focused on earlier detection of harmful behaviour, stronger moderation of text and voice communications, more effective reporting, and timely support for users.
The winning team, comprising students from Rabdan Academy, UAEU, and other participating universities, received the Best Group Award for an AI powered digital companion designed to identify warning signs of harassment and online exploitation and extremist recruitment, and provide age-appropriate guidance and escalate serious cases for further review.
By moving from evidence and expert discussion to student developed concepts in a single day, the hackathon demonstrated how collaboration between government, academia, industry, and young people can help build safer and more resilient digital communities. It also reinforced Rabdan Academy’s role in preparing students to apply AI to real world challenges with implications for society and the wider digital economy.
Source: Emirates News Agency
