Do you have any advice on how to stay safe while gaming online?
Recently, our helpline has been hearing questions like this:
“I was on Discord, and started talking with someone who I thought was the same age as me (16). I made some sexual jokes and sent them a meme of an anime character who I thought was supposed to be a teen but was sexualized in the meme. Another friend on Discord let me know that this person I’d been talking to was actually 12, and now I feel like a creep and like I sexually abused them.”
There are so many ways that we can connect with others who have a similar interest in the games we play online: from chatting platforms like Discord, video platforms like Twitch, to games with an open chat feature like Roblox, Fortnite, Call of Duty, and many others. It can be easy to assume that the people you are talking with are near your own age, but the truth is that we can never be positive about who is on the other end of that chat. Everyone can practice safety in online gaming spaces by being aware of potential risks and by understanding more about safe digital citizenship and engagement.
Can online gaming platforms be safe?
Yes! Our intention isn’t to fearmonger or make it seem like online games and gaming platforms are all bad. Because they aren’t, and there are lots of positive aspects too! Many people use internet gaming as a coping tool, to connect with others who have similar interests, to socialize, and/or as a daily hobby. Gaming can also be a great stress reliever, as it can provide a way to “disconnect” from the real world by delving into different lives where someone can be a hero, a warlock, a zombie fighter, a world builder, or even a teammate to save an entire species!
What are the dangers of internet gaming platforms?
There are risks to engaging in games online, too. It's important to be aware of risks, so we can all make sure that we are creating safe spaces in online gaming for everyone. Education and knowledge are the first steps towards safe digital citizenship and engagement.
When we talk about the dangers of online gaming platforms, we are thinking about ways that unsafe environments can be created either intentionally or unintentionally. Risks, including situations that can result in criminal charges, can include:
Harassment or bullying behaviors
Inappropriate conversations
Scams targeting personal information or money
Exposure to illegal or abusive content
Grooming or sextortion
Sexual interactions between a youth under the age of consent and an adult
This isn’t an all-inclusive list. There are other ways that safety might be compromised in online gaming spaces, especially for young children or teens who may be interacting with others that they don’t know. Often, you may not know the age of the person that you’re interacting with on a gaming platform, and it’s possible that even though a conversation or a joke that is shared might not be considered potentially harmful when it’s directed towards another adult or older teen, this can become problematic if the person on the other end of the chat is someone much younger.
How can I practice safety on gaming platforms online?
Everyone has the right to feel safe when playing online games, and there are some steps that you can take to make sure that you are helping to create a safe environment. First and foremost, be kind to others that you’re interacting with. It’s easy to get sucked into a toxic culture of insulting or harassing others, even if it’s in a joking way. But this creates vulnerabilities for folks who may not be receptive or feel safe interacting this way. And we can’t know how something we have shared or said could impact another person. Also, practice being an upstander - if you observe any interactions or behaviors that are making others feel vulnerable or uncomfortable, you can speak up. Let others know that you care about how others feel and how they are treated.
There are dedicated spaces in some online gaming communities for those that are 18+, and if you are an adult and the way that you interact with others tends to include adult humor or sexual jokes, then please be mindful that a safe and responsible decision would be to make sure that the people you are interacting with are also 18+. If you are unsure about whether someone that you are talking to is 18 or over, then it’s best to avoid mature sexual jokes.
If you are interacting with someone who is under 18, and they are using adult humor or making sexual jokes themselves, then this is an opportunity to model and reinforce safe boundaries. You can say something like:
“I don’t want you to feel like you’re in trouble, but it’s not appropriate to make a joke like that since we don’t know who might have access to see that.”
No matter what your age, it’s not appropriate or safe to share any sexualized content with anyone through online games or platforms, especially if you believe that children or youth may have access to what you are sharing. Intentionally exposing a youth to mature sexual content or conversations can be confusing and potentially harmful.
What resources are available to learn more about safety on internet gaming platforms?
There are a lot of great resources that can help you learn more about safe online gaming. Our resource guide for Online Safety has great tools for anyone who is interested in learning more about online safety and digital citizenship.
Cyber Safe Schools also has a module that talks about online gaming safety, and Childline UK has some practical tips for youth about staying safe in online games and gaming platforms.
If you have experienced abusive or harmful behavior on an internet gaming platform, you deserve support. There are resources available and our helpline can talk to you about next steps - including setting boundaries, reporting, or seeking other supports.
If you have questions about gaming safety, or the way that you are interacting with others in online gaming spaces, reach out to our helpline to talk more.