Video games can be a fun and exciting way for kids to play, learn, and connect with friends. But just like in the real world, it’s important to stay safe while gaming online. From protecting personal information to knowing how to deal with strangers or bullying, this article shares simple tips from Susie’s Place and NetSmartz to help make gaming safe, positive, and fun for everyone.
Susie’s Place promotes the prevention, justice, and healing of child victims of abuse and violence while maintaining the comfort and safety of the child as the first priority. Susie’s Place has centers in Avon, Bloomington, and Terre Haute. For more information, visit their website, or contact John Graham, Education and Outreach Manager at Susie’s Place.
**Learn about how to talk to your kids about gaming safety with these recommended questions.
Know Your Options for Parental Settings
Many devices have parental controls and/or settings you can adjust to protect against age-inappropriate content, communicating with other users, and data shared on the platform. Keep your password private. Some systems come with built-in chat functions (like Discord and Twitch), which can expose children to risky conversations and bullying.
- According to Susie’s Place, child abuse through online platforms often starts with grooming. “Online grooming is a term used broadly to describe the tactics abusers deploy through the internet to sexually exploit children. It can happen quickly or over time, but grooming is a process of exploiting trust to shift expectations of what safe behavior is and leveraging fear and shame to keep a child silent.”
Keep Gaming Consoles in Open Spaces
Devices should be in places that are easy-to-supervise. If they go to friends’ houses or other community locations, make sure they understand that the rules you’ve set for gaming in your home apply wherever they play. Talk with your child about reasonable time limits.
Remind Children About Information Privacy
Children should refrain from sharing personal information while gaming, including their address, phone number, full name, and other identifying information. Even screen names and gaming profiles should be vague. They should never agree to meet another player offline or share pictures of themselves or anyone else.
- Never auto-save a credit or debit card to a gaming account. You should always have to approve a purchase before a charge is made.
- According to Susie’s Place, one in four reported cases of child exploitation involves a sexual predator asking the child for explicit images of themselves.
Review Reporting Features in Gaming Platforms
Ensure your child has a way to report inappropriate interactions with other players. Teach your child that if someone says something that seems odd or unusually personal, they should report it to you and to the platform’s moderator(s).
- According to Susie’s Place, 50% of online sexual exploitation victims are 12-15 years old, due to their age and growing autonomy with online access.
With the right tools, conversations, and boundaries, gaming can remain a safe and enjoyable part of your child’s life. By staying informed and involved, parents and caregivers can help protect kids from potential risks while empowering them to make smart choices online. Thanks to resources from Susie’s Place and NetSmartz, families can navigate the digital world with confidence and care.
