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• • Tools for parents
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  • Online Games and Video Game Consoles
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  • Personal Boundaries and Internet Safety
  • How do I Know if my Child is Stressed?
  • Cell phone safety
  • Safe Adults and Internet Safety

Online Games

The Internet has changed the nature of games played by kids, and the interactive components of online games make them appealing to children of all ages. While it is easy for parents to believe that their child is safe while playing a game, precautions need to be taken as most online games have a chat component where children and adolescents can interact with others.

What can parents do?

• Know and explore the games your adolescent is playing online in order to determine if they are age-appropriate. Questions to ask include:
  • Is the game moderated?
  • Does the game contain sexually explicit material?
  • Is the game graphically violent?
  • Is there an interactive chat component in the game? Is this an optional feature that can be turned off?
  • Does the game provide more options for older players? Has your adolescent misrepresented her/his age to get more options?
  • Can players email each other back and forth?
  • Can players send each other attachments, such as pictures?
  • Does the game have a friend or buddy list? Who is on your adolescent's buddy list?
  • Is there a way for your adolescent to contact other players? Do players first need to get your adolescent's permission to contact her/him or can they simply begin chatting?
  • Does the game have a message board where players can post comments? Is this an optional function?
• Review the game guidelines. Can you report any inappropriate activity?
• Know your adolescent's login and password information.
  • What username or character name has your adolescent given her/himself? Does it provide any identifying characteristics about her/him or her/his hobbies (e.g. shygirl, bookworm, etc.)?
  • Check to see if your adolescent must create an online profile to join the site. If s/he does, what has your adolescent included in it (e.g. real name, city, email address, age)?

What should parents talk to their adolescent about?

• Set the expectation that you will monitor your adolescent online as the Internet is a public environment.
• Reinforce the idea with your adolescent that not everyone is who they say they are online. People can pretend to be older or younger than they actually are.
• Just as you would explain codes of conduct for offline games, the same should be done for games played online.
• Discuss with your adolescent that s/he should only chat with players and include people on her/his buddy or friend list that s/he knows offline.
• Make sure your adolescent keeps personal information, including photos and phone numbers, off of her/his gaming profile.
• Teach your adolescent that if someone s/he doesn't know sends her/him an attachment, not to open it.
• Tell your adolescent that if s/he comes across something or someone while playing an online game that makes her/him feel uncomfortable, explain that s/he can tell you without fear of losing gaming privileges.