How to Stay Safe on Gaming Sites

Setting ground rules at home is essential, but remember, your kids can play games from a friend’s computer as well as at an Internet café. To help protect your children at home, talk to them about the dangers of online gaming, be ready to listen if they seem upset about something that happened while they were on the computer, and encourage them to use wisdom when deciding what types of online games to play. You can help keep your child’s gaming experiences safe, age-appropriate, friendly, fun, and even educational by educating yourself about the gaming community, game ratings, and how to use the privacy and safety tools built into the games. Check out the safety features and parental controls offered by all the major gaming consoles including Xbox, Wii, and PlayStation 2, 3 and 4.

TIPS

Teach your child to:

Use voice chat wisely
Be aware of voice masking technology
Use suitable screen names (gamertags)
Be aware of cyberbullies (griefers)
As a parent:
Use parental controls on all gaming devices
Review games and ratings before buying
Disallow webcam use while gaming
Set time limits
Know who your child is playing with
Talk to your child about coming to you if anyone bullies them, asks them for inappropriate pictures or makes them feel uncomfortable