Online gaming has become popular among kids and teens, offering endless entertainment and opportunities to connect with friends and players worldwide. Studies show that up to 93% of boys aged 8 to 11 play video games, with children between 8 and 17 playing an average of 1.5 to 2 hours daily.
The majority of children play online video games, which opens the door to potential risks that parents and guardians should be aware of to keep their children safe while gaming. From child predators and cyberbullying to account breaches and theft, online gaming poses various risks to children.
The bigger issue is that only 39% of parents are aware of these online gaming risks, and just 34% of parents monitor their children’s online gaming activity. Thus, many children are woefully unprepared and unprotected from these cyber threats.
In this article, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about online gaming safety so you can promote maximum internet safety for teens and kids playing games. Keep reading to find the best safe gaming tips for kids.
Let’s start by determining the main risks of online gaming for kids and teens.
Contents
- Key Takeaways
- Types of Online Gaming Concerns: What Are the Risks of Online Gaming for Kids and Teens?
- Online Gaming Safety Tips for Kids and Teens: How Can Parents Protect Kids in Online Gaming?
- What Parental Control Options Exist for Online Gaming?
- Choosing the Right Parental Control Solution for Protecting Kids Online
- How Can Kids and Teens Stay Safe in Online Gaming Chats?
- Choosing the Right Online Gaming Safety Solutions for Your Family
- Frequently Asked Questions
Key Takeaways
- Online gaming presents risks like cyberbullying, online predators, and gaming addiction.
- Educating kids about online safety helps them recognize and avoid potential dangers.
- Using privacy settings and strong passwords enhances gaming account security.
- Parental controls on consoles, apps, and routers help restrict inappropriate content.
- Balancing screen time with offline activities prevents excessive gaming.
- Involving children in setting gaming boundaries builds trust and accountability.
Types of Online Gaming Concerns: What Are the Risks of Online Gaming for Kids and Teens?
Online gaming can expose kids and teens to various risks, including cyberbullying, online predators, privacy breaches, and gaming addiction.
These risks can have serious consequences for young players’ mental health, social well-being, and overall safety. Below are detailed descriptions of the risks for kids associated with online gaming.
Cyberbullying and Toxic Behavior
Online gaming environments often create opportunities for cyberbullying, where players face harassment, mean-spirited comments, or deliberate exclusion from others. These harmful interactions typically occur through in-game chat, voice communication, or private messages.
For example, a 2021 study found that 60% of children between the ages of 13 and 17 experienced some form of harassment when gaming, whether threats, hate speech, or other harmful content. Further surveys from Enough show that 76% of teens experience bullying in an online gaming platform, whether as a victim, bully, or witness.
The anonymity of online gaming can embolden bullies, making their actions particularly damaging. For teens, such experiences can lead to significant emotional distress, lowered self-esteem, and a reluctance to engage socially or continue playing.
Online Predators and Grooming
Online predators increasingly use gaming platforms to befriend and manipulate children and teens. By using the social nature of gaming, predators gradually build trust through shared experiences, making their actions appear benign at first.
This process, known as grooming, can escalate to exploitation, such as convincing teens to share personal information and photos or engage in inappropriate or harmful conversations. The familiarity predators develop can make it difficult for teens to recognize the danger until it’s too late.
A prevalent example of this has to do with the popular Roblox video game, which, according to The Scottish Sun, in 2023 alone, saw over 13,000 reports of child exploitation.
Privacy and Security Risks
Unsecured gaming accounts are prime targets for hackers who seek to steal sensitive personal information such as names, ages, addresses, and credit card details. This puts teens and their families at risk of identity theft and financial fraud.
Moreover, malicious links or downloads disguised as game mods or cheats are commonly used to install malware on devices, potentially compromising the user’s entire system. These risks are especially concerning for teens who may not fully understand online safety protocols.
The issue is not necessarily just unsecured accounts. According to a report from the Center for Cyber Safety and Education, 68% of teens have shared personal information through online games, including location, full names, and photographs. This leaves children, teens, and their parents open to serious risks.
The effects can be quite severe. For example, according to Norton, in 2023, 33% of teens reported an account breach, with 22% reporting a loss of in-game items. In-game currencies are one of the most commonly stolen items. For reference, in-game currency is generally bought with real money, thus leading to massive potential monetary losses.
For peace of mind, consider Blink Cyber Insurance, which provides coverage and support in the event of a gaming-related cybersecurity incident. This can include assistance with account recovery, financial reimbursement for losses, and expert guidance on navigating the aftermath of a breach.
Gaming Addiction and Excessive Screen Time
Excessive gaming can interfere with a teen’s ability to balance important aspects of their life, including schoolwork, physical activity, sleep, and in-person social interactions.
According to a recent survey, 46% of parents think that gaming negatively affects family activities, and 44% believe that it negatively affects their children’s sleep, which indicates overuse.
Over time, this over-prioritization of gaming can lead to addiction, where teens may feel unable to stop playing despite negative consequences. Gaming addiction can also contribute to mental health challenges such as anxiety or depression, as well as physical issues like fatigue and poor posture from prolonged screen time.
This is illustrated by a Common Sense Media survey, which found that 44% of teens felt isolated or lonely after prolonged gaming sessions, with 20% reporting increased mood swings and anxiety, thus underscoring the potential mental health consequences of excessive gaming.
Now that we know all the potential risks of a lack of online gaming safety, let’s cover the most important tips for teens and kids on internet safety.
Online Gaming Safety Tips for Kids and Teens: How Can Parents Protect Kids in Online Gaming?
As a parent, you play a vital role in ensuring your child’s safety while gaming online. This includes setting clear boundaries, using parental controls, educating kids about online safety, and choosing age-appropriate games.
Here are some practical steps you can take to protect your kids and teens:
Set Clear Boundaries and Expectations
Establishing clear guidelines for online gaming is essential for creating a safe and balanced environment. Set time limits to prevent excessive screen time and gaming addiction, and agree on which games are appropriate based on age and content.
Discuss behavioral expectations, such as treating other players respectfully and never sharing personal information. Ensuring your kids understand the rules and the consequences of breaking them fosters accountability and safer online habits.
Educate Kids About Online Safety
Teaching kids about online safety is critical in protecting them from potential risks. Explain the importance of safeguarding personal information and recognizing inappropriate behavior or content.
Encourage your kids to report uncomfortable interactions through in-game chat, messages, or voice communication. Maintaining open, honest communication creates a safe space for them to share concerns and seek guidance.
Choose Age-Appropriate Games
Before allowing your kids to play a game, check its age rating and content description. Ratings provided by organizations like the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) can help you determine whether a game is suitable for your child’s maturity level.
By choosing age-appropriate games, you can reduce the likelihood of exposing them to violent, explicit, or otherwise unsuitable material.
Use Privacy Settings and Strong Passwords
You can adjust privacy settings on gaming platforms to limit the amount of personal information shared and control who can contact your child.
Encourage your kids to use strong, unique passwords for gaming accounts, avoiding easy-to-guess options like birthdays or names. A password manager like Dashlane can generate and store secure passwords, adding another layer of protection.
You may also take things one step further and employ a full-scale cybersecurity solution such as Aura, which offers identity protection, financial fraud monitoring, and device security features.
Be Cautious of Voice Chat and Sharing Personal Information
Voice chat can be a convenient way to communicate during gaming, but it can also expose your child to strangers. Disable voice chat features or restrict their use to trusted friends only.
Remind your kids never to share personal details in their profiles or during in-game chats, such as their name, age, or location. Encourage the use of anonymous gaming aliases that do not reveal identifying information.
Take Breaks and Balance Gaming with Other Activities
Establish time limits for gaming sessions and encourage regular breaks to avoid fatigue and overexposure to screens.
Plan family activities, support offline hobbies, and encourage face-to-face social interactions to promote a balanced lifestyle. Diversifying their interests helps kids maintain a healthy perspective on gaming and prevents it from becoming an all-consuming activity.
Use Parental Controls and Monitoring Tools
Parental controls are valuable tools for managing your child’s online gaming experience. Enable these controls on gaming platforms and devices, such as routers, to restrict access to age-inappropriate content and limit communication with unknown players.
Speaking of parental controls and monitoring tools for protecting kids online, let’s move on and discuss some of the best options.
What Parental Control Options Exist for Online Gaming?
Parental controls are valuable tools for keeping your kids safe while gaming online. These features allow you to set boundaries, monitor activity, and restrict access to inappropriate content.
There are three main ways to do so: using the parental control settings on video game consoles, third-party apps and software, and router-level parental controls. Let’s take a quick look at each.
Game Console Parental Controls
For instance, gaming consoles like Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch have built-in parental control settings that let you manage screen time, set age limits for games, and control communication with other players.
Third-Party Parental Controls
Furthermore, third-party parental control software and apps, such as Qustodio, Net Nanny, Circle Parental Controls, and the Bark App, provide additional layers of protection across multiple devices. They offer content filtering, social media monitoring, and detailed activity reports.
Router-Level Parental Controls
Router-level parental controls, available through many internet service providers or standalone routers, enable network-wide protection for all connected devices in your home. This ensures consistent safety and reduces the need for individual device setup.
Choosing the Right Parental Control Solution for Protecting Kids Online
When choosing the best online gaming safety tools, consider your needs, device compatibility, and ease of use.
Here’s how to choose the right tools for maintaining internet safety for teens and kids:
Identify Your Family’s Needs
Start by identifying your family’s specific concerns about gaming. Are you primarily worried about limiting screen time, filtering age-inappropriate content, or monitoring gaming activity? Knowing your priorities will help you choose a solution that effectively meets your needs and ensures a safer online environment for your kids.
Consider Device Compatibility
Parental control solutions should work seamlessly with the devices your children use. Whether they play on gaming consoles, smartphones, tablets, or computers, ensure the tool is compatible with their platforms. If your kids use multiple devices, choose a solution that offers cross-platform support for easier management.
Prioritize Ease of Use
A parental control solution should be straightforward to set up and adjust. Look for tools that allow you to configure settings easily and make updates as needed. Customization options are especially important, enabling you to tailor restrictions based on your child’s age, maturity, and gaming habits.
Adapt to Changing Needs
As your children grow, their gaming interests and habits will evolve. Choose a solution that can adapt to these changes by offering scalable settings for different age groups and multiple user profiles. Regularly reviewing and updating the parental controls ensures they remain effective and relevant over time.
Involve Your Kids in the Process
Explain the purpose of parental controls to your children in a way that helps them understand these measures are designed to protect them. By involving them in setting boundaries, you can build trust and encourage a sense of responsibility for their gaming behavior. This collaborative approach can make implementing controls more effective and mutually respectful.
For a full overview of your options, the Batten Marketplace features a curated selection of parental control options to help you find the right fit for your family.
How Can Kids and Teens Stay Safe in Online Gaming Chats?
Online gaming chats can be a fun way to connect with other players, but they also present risks. Predators may use these chats to groom or exploit children, and cyberbullies can harass or intimidate other players.
Kids and teens can use privacy settings and mindfulness, and if those fail, report problematic players. Here are some additional gaming security tips for kids and teens:
Use Privacy Settings and Filters
Take control of your chat experience by adjusting privacy settings to limit interactions with strangers. Many games allow you to restrict chat to friends only or disable it entirely. Enable profanity filters to automatically block inappropriate language and maintain a more positive gaming environment.
Be Mindful of What You Share
Protect your personal information by avoiding sharing details like your full name, school, phone number, or home address in gaming chats. Remember, not everyone online is who they claim to be. Never send photos or videos of yourself to people you only know through gaming, as these images could be misused or shared without your consent.
Report and Block Problematic Players
If you encounter players who engage in harassment, bullying, or other concerning behavior, use the game’s built-in tools to report them to moderators. Most games have a reporting system that allows you to flag inappropriate content or conduct. Don’t hesitate to block players who make you uncomfortable or repeatedly violate the game’s rules.
If a situation escalates or feels unsafe, tell a trusted adult, such as a parent, guardian, or teacher. They can help you navigate the issue and contact the appropriate authorities if necessary. Remember, your safety and well-being are the top priorities when gaming online.
Choosing the Right Online Gaming Safety Solutions for Your Family
Ensuring online gaming safety for kids and teens is critical in today’s connected world. The risks, including cyberbullying, online predators, and gaming addiction, emphasize the importance of proactive measures.
Parents can create a secure gaming environment by setting clear boundaries, educating children about online safety, and using parental controls and monitoring tools.
Encouraging kids to balance gaming with other activities and maintain open communication helps them enjoy gaming responsibly while minimizing risks. With informed strategies and consistent guidance, you can protect your children and foster a safe and enjoyable online gaming experience.
To protect your kids from online threats, explore the suite of cybersecurity solutions available at Batten Safe.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Should Parents Do If They Suspect Their Child Is Being Groomed Online?
Parents should address the situation immediately by talking to their child, gathering information about the interaction, and reporting the predator to both the game platform and law enforcement. Tools like screen captures of chats can be useful for evidence.
How Can Parents Help Prevent Gaming Addiction in Teens?
Encourage a balanced lifestyle with a mix of offline activities, family time, and set limits on gaming hours. Establish “no-screen” times during meals or before bed to ensure healthy habits.
Are Free Parental Control Tools Effective?
Free tools can provide basic features such as time limits and content filtering, but paid versions often offer more comprehensive options like social media monitoring and detailed activity reports. Evaluate your needs to decide the best option.
What Steps Should Kids Take If They Experience Cyberbullying During a Game?
Kids should block and report the bully using in-game tools and inform a trusted adult. Keeping a record of the incidents, such as screenshots of chats, may also help if further action is needed.
