Joy Agwunobi
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) have introduced the first global standard for safe listening in video gaming and esports.
The guideline, launched on World Hearing Day 2025, is aimed at reducing the risk of hearing loss among gamers worldwide.
With video gaming and esports rapidly evolving into a multi-billion-dollar industry, the risk of hearing damage due to prolonged exposure to loud sounds has become a growing concern.
WHO estimates that approximately 3 billion people worldwide engage in video gaming across various platforms, including personal computers, gaming consoles, and mobile phones. However, most gaming devices and software lack built-in safe listening features, leaving users particularly children vulnerable to potential hearing impairment.
The new WHO-ITU Global Standard for Safe Listening in Video Gameplay and Esports is designed to address these concerns by incorporating features that promote better hearing health. It provides specific guidelines for both gaming hardware and software to minimize risks associated with high-volume gaming environments.
For video gameplay devices, the recommended standards include:
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Sound allowance tracking to measure the player’s sound exposure.
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Safe listening messages that provide players with information on sound usage, including predictions on when their sound limit will be reached.
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A user-friendly volume control system that can be easily adjusted.
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A “headphone safety mode” that automatically adjusts the volume when a player changes between headphones and loudspeakers.
For gaming software, the standard proposes:
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Safe listening warnings: Alerts cautioning players about the dangers of prolonged exposure to loud sounds.
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Independent volume controls: The ability for users to separately adjust or mute different sound categories within a game.
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Sound design adaptation: Incorporating safe listening features into the soundtrack, genre, and overall audio experience of video games.
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Headphone safety mode integration: A feature that detects shifts between headphones and speakers, automatically reducing volume to a safer level.
The standard was developed under WHO’s Make Listening Safe initiative, which aims to improve listening practices, especially among young people, through expert consultations and collaboration with governments, industry leaders, and civil society organizations.
Speaking on the initiative, Jérôme Salomon,assistant director-general for universal health coverage, communicable and noncommunicable diseases at WHO, stressed the importance of hearing protection. “Everyone can take steps today to ensure good hearing health throughout their life. The WHO/ITU safe listening standard supports governments, manufacturers, civil society, and other stakeholders in fostering safe listening environments. Even when playing video games, people should not risk hearing loss.”
Seizo Onoe, director of the telecommunication standardisation bureau at ITU, emphasised the collaborative effort in developing the guidelines, stating “As video gaming and esports continue to grow, gamers use a wider array of devices to access content.”
According to Onoe, safe listening standards are crucial to protecting users—especially children from harmful sound exposure. Effective technical standards require collaboration, and we appreciate WHO’s expertise in advancing safe listening practices. We are pleased to launch this update on World Hearing Day.
