The FBI has arrested Edward Frith, a 29-year-old man from Alabama, following a report from Epic Games concerning threats made during Fortnite voice chat. Frith, who reportedly played under the username "WagesOfNinja," is alleged to have expressed desires to "literally murder somebody" and kill "every day." He also made statements about shooting FBI agents if they arrived at his door, according to an affidavit.
Epic Games made a "voluntary emergency disclosure" to the FBI National Threat Operations Section's crisis team, providing an audio recording and transcript of Frith's statements. Frith was indicted on September 23 for violating Interstate Threatening Communications laws. He has pleaded not guilty and is currently in custody awaiting trial.
This incident highlights the utility of Fortnite's voice reporting system, which Epic Games introduced in November 2023. This feature allows players to record and anonymously report voice communications that violate community rules. Epic Games stated that audio clips are only shared with their moderation team if a player uses the in-game reporting feature. The last five minutes of communication are captured for review, and depending on the severity, players can face bans or, as in this case, be reported to law enforcement.
Fortnite also employs autonomous systems to detect harmful language related to self-harm, child endangerment, and real-world violence, and players can report text chat, which is stored for 30 days.