Parents urged to get in the game

AUSSIE parents are plugging in to their kids’ video gaming world to connect and have fun with their youngsters.

But sharing online game time can also help keep children safe by arming parents with valuable knowledge about their gaming habits and the risks that come with them.

Research by the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association found almost half of mums and dads played online games with their kids.

The Digital Australia 2020 study found family fun, requests from their kids and spending time together were the top reasons parents joined their children on video games.

Cyber safety expert Susan McLean parents who took an active role in their children’s virtual gaming experience could protect them from real world risks.

“You are the gatekeepers to your child’s online safety”, Ms McLean said.

“Google and download it and play it to see what the game is. Co-playing is really important because it builds up a sense of trust.”

Ms McLean said people of all ages enjoyed online gaming, and teens tended to forget that a person’s online persona could be masking their real identity.

“We know that predators hang out on games because there are kids there”, she said.

While Ms McLean stressed the potential dangers that could arise from game-players, the founder of popular gaming news and review site Gaming Australia, Jamie Robinson, warned of tactics used by game developers to hook young players into spending big.

“Developers use dirty tactics to try and entice all gamers, but in particular younger ones into buying into their

‘microtransaction roulette’ scenario,” Mr Robinson said.

“These tricks come in the forms of ingame advertisements like the old ‘the first one is free’.

“They create a craving in our younger gamers and exploit a need to own the latest and freshest in game content.”

Mum of six Angela McNeilly said her kids, aged between 13 and 22, trusted online friends and the games they played more easily than parents like herself because they had grown up with the internet.

“There will always be predators online and I want to protect my children from them”, Ms McNeilly said.

With all six children plugged into their PlayStation, X-Box and Nintendo Switch, Ms McNeilly found chatting openly about the perks of online gaming, along with the potential dangers, to be the key to her kids’ digital safety.

“I am walking that fine line of protecting them, but also trusting them”, Ms McNeilly said.

“Open communication is the key to keeping them safe. Kids respond and respect boundaries, so don’t sugar coat the dangers.”

Mr Robinson said government regulations were cracking down on developers’ dodgy in-game tricks, but parents also had a role to play to ensure their child had a positive gaming experience.

“Parents need to be proactive when it comes to their child’s interest in gaming”, he said. “Gaming consoles these days all have parental control features.

“There are absolutely people online whose aim it is to exploit children, but the gaming community in general lets people share a passion for gaming while working as a team to achieve a common goal.”

Ms McLean said if parents set boundaries on age-appropriate games and screen time, kids should not have any issues while plugged in.

“Make an assessment about whether the content of the game is suitable for your child”, Ms McLean recommended.

“If the game is encompassing all areas of their life then you have a problem.”

Ms McNeilly said this was especially important for one of her children living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who loved gaming, and had even gained valuable skills from it.

“It gives him the platform to be himself and express himself but it can be a comfort zone for him,” she said. “It’s always about finding that right balance. My kids have played since they were young and hope to develop careers in this area.”

Ms McLean said the perks and challenges of online gaming meant parents had to wise up on their kids’ game play.

“As the parent, you are in control,” she said.