Many children play online games to bond with their friends without being in the same physical location. However, there are dangers that can affect your child, including malware and addiction. Educating them about these dangers makes their online experience safer.
Most online games allow for interaction between people of all ages, without restriction. This can be incredibly dangerous due to predatory behavior, where adults befriend your child with the intent of exploiting them, in an act known as grooming.
Some games may be incredibly addictive and may offer purchases, paid with real-life money, to give players a boost. Your child may be prone to impulsive spending, especially if payment is just a few clicks away. Additionally, they may be too young to realize what they are doing, resulting in thousands of dollars spent without realization.
Your child may seek alternative sources to download games, especially if they do not have the means to obtain the game legally. These files often contain malware, allowing attackers to spy on victims. As a result, information such as login details can be sent to the attacker.
Children may be very trusting and prone to oversharing personal information, believing they are in a safe space. However, being online provides anonymity, where you cannot be sure the person you speak to is who they claim to be. Oversharing personal information can lead to your child being stalked or groomed.
Gacha games encourage players to open loot boxes to obtain items and characters, where popular ones are harder to find. They can be bought with in-game currency or real-life money.
Children who play this game may unknowingly spend real-life money to obtain more loot boxes. They may spend without their parents' realization, especially if an automated payment system is set up, as payment can be done with a single click.
Online gaming is not necessarily harmful. With enough awareness, your child can play games safely, even with strangers. To further reduce the risk of them running into any problems, you can also:
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