An interesting 2019 study by the Entertainment Software Association found that 70% of families reported having at least one child who actively played video games, including those games played online. And that was before COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdowns! Studies looking at that aftermath are still ongoing, but we anticipate that even more children are partaking in online gaming and as such, even more children are facing known online gaming risks. What exactly is meant by this digital risk? Consider the following:
Online Gaming Risks for Children
- Cyber Bullying. Bullying has always been a problem for children and teenagers. However, the rise and ease of online gaming have increased the risk of bullying due to things like anonymity. Someone can bully your child and your child may never know who they are. In fact, there is a specific word used for a certain type of cyber bullying: Griefing. Griefing is when anonymous players “grief” other players with the aim of making the game less enjoyable for their victims. This can help the perpetrators win but at what emotional cost?
- Chat Grooming. Video chat applications like Omegle have increased the risks of children falling prey to a grooming situation. Grooming is when predators cultivate relationships with children online or offline. Those conversations are designed to open the door to abuse. What is Omegle? Omegle is an anonymous video chatting website and app that pairs users with complete strangers around the world. It took its cue from old AOL chat forums and websites. What parents need to know is that predators do use Omegle and logging online as a child or teen is not difficult.
- Online Privacy Issues. The internet is great about anonymity, but true anonymity does take some tech know-how. Some kids and teenagers likewise may not fully understand how important it is to not reveal any personally identifying information. This information includes more obvious information like full name, location, and age, but it also includes not-so-obvious information. For example, using a birthdate or school name in their username handle are not advisable. Savvy cyber criminals can and will single out a child or naive teenager in general chat channels and start conversations. Instead of grooming them for offline abuse, they will request personal information and then use that information to either access existing accounts or create accounts in your child’s name. In this way, cyber criminals can steal your child’s identity and create their own digital identity from it.
Be Proactive & Learn More About Cybercrime Prevention
Are you tempted to simply unplug your child’s devices as your strategy for cybercrime prevention? While we know how tempting that is, the truth is that kids will find a way online. The best thing parents can do is make sure everyone in the family understands the risks and how to manage them. Contact our team at InternetPrivacy to learn more.