Keeping children safe while they game online is something that all parents want. Almost any parent will tell you that online gaming is becoming more prevalent in households, whether it's through popular consoles like Xbox and PlayStation or via website platforms, the popularity is rising. But, inevitably, with that comes more risk.
It goes without saying that there is a balance to be struck between allowing your teens or tweens to engage in online activities that keep them amused and making sure they don't tip into overuse.
© Anastassiya BezhekenevaHowever, even away from too much screen time and too much headphone time (more on that later), there are very real dangers for children, teenagers and young adults having a presence online.
Knowing how to navigate the minefield that is online gaming with your child or teenager is overwhelming, no matter how important it is.
With this in mind, HELLO! spoke to a series of experts: Nick Arran, Managing Director of GAME, Catherine Hickabottom, Learning Development Manager at safeguarding experts High-Speed Training, and Hannah Samuels, an audiologist at Boots Hearing Care, who gave their thoughts and insight on tackling this huge subject.
What are the biggest risks that come from online gaming?
The first question that may spring to parents' minds when considering their child's online presence in the gaming world is who they are talking to.
The access that these online platforms provide through the internet means that players can interact with people – literally – all over the globe. It sounds scary, but it doesn't have to be a huge problem if you're vigilant and take precautions.
© mikkelwilliamNick Arran told HELLO! that it starts with education. "Without education on safe gaming, children and teens can be exposed to many potential risks, including in-game bullying and online grooming," he said.
"Many games overlap with social media networks and allow people worldwide to communicate and play together. However, this can expose children to strangers who may take advantage of them."
Catherine Hickabottom from High-Speed Training agreed and told HELLO! that communication is the key. "The majority of children in the UK grow up as 'digital natives' who instinctively use the internet daily for social, educational and entertainment purposes."
She continued: "Despite having an understanding of how to access and use the internet, children may not fully comprehend the dangers associated with this.
"Encouraging open communication will promote a healthier relationship with online gaming and will give parents visibility over the potential risks."
How can parents keep their children and pre-teens safe while gaming?
So, with the biggest issues – stranger danger and cyberbullying – in mind, the question is what can parents do about it? Nick assured HELLO! there are ways to combat the risk: "One simple way to help parents ensure safety is by checking the age rating of any games that their children play, another way is to turn off chat functions to prevent strangers from speaking to your children."
He added: "All consoles including the PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series X/S have privacy functions that parents can use to protect their child's profile."
Nick added further: "The best solution is for parents to ensure that their child's profile has no personal information attached to it, and ensure that they know not to tell strangers personal information.
"This involves using a username that doesn't have their real name in it, not telling anyone details like their school or street name and also not having any images on their profile."
No strangers and age-appropriate content: a great place to start.
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How much is too much gaming?
This factor is arguably subjective. Some parents might allow their children to game to their hearts' content especially if they're safe in the knowledge that they're keeping away from strangers, while others may want to reign in their teenagers' use.
Nick agrees it's dependent on the family: "Everyone's personal circumstances and needs are vastly different from each other. What works for one family and their situation will never be the same as someone else's."
© CasarsaGuruHowever, what's crucial here is recognising the signs of your teen tipping into overuse. Catherine explained to HELLO!: "Signs of video game addiction include exhaustion, disengagement with day-to-day life and difficulty concentrating.
"By establishing an open conversation, and understanding and by setting a good example, parents can counter addictive behaviours. However, if there’s no improvement, parents should consider seeking external help and support."
What else is there to know about online gaming?
Aside from the very real risk of online grooming, bullying and too much screen time, there is also the risk of overuse of headphones.
A study published by BMJ Public Health found that those who play video games are at risk of damaging their hearing due to potentially unsafe sound levels, according to a report in the BBC.
This is where Hannah Samuels, an audiologist at Boots Hearingcare comes in. She told HELLO!: "New studies have revealed that gaming can reach noise levels of 119 dB (1), which if exposed to on a regular basis, could cause damage to anyone's hearing, or lead to tinnitus."
Hannah continued: "Regular exposure to sounds measuring over 70dB, for lengthy periods of time, can be a cause for concern, and anything over 120dB can cause immediate damage.
© PonyWang"It is worrying to know that some children are gaming at such extreme noise levels on a daily basis, and we'd really encourage parents to step in and ensure their child's ear health is a top priority."
Simply telling your child or teenager to turn the volume down probably won't be enough to cut through, instead, Hannah advises providing them with gear that does the hard work for you.
"Most devices offer volume limiters which help you to understand when the sound is above the recommended decibel level, and you can set limits on how high the sound will reach on the device. There are also children's headphones which don't go above a certain decibel level, so you can let them game safe in the knowledge that their ear health won't be impacted."
