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This fact sheet provides parents and carers with essential information about online gaming, highlighting its benefits such as skill development and teamwork, as well as challenges like potential exposure to online predators through in-game chat. It emphasizes the importance of monitoring children's gaming activities, creating smart usernames, and encouraging safe gaming practices. Resources for reporting online exploitation and seeking help are also included.

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morokali8
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11 views2 pages

scribd_upload_2

This fact sheet provides parents and carers with essential information about online gaming, highlighting its benefits such as skill development and teamwork, as well as challenges like potential exposure to online predators through in-game chat. It emphasizes the importance of monitoring children's gaming activities, creating smart usernames, and encouraging safe gaming practices. Resources for reporting online exploitation and seeking help are also included.

Uploaded by

morokali8
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Fact sheet

Online
gaming
This fact sheet includes information for
parents and carers about online gaming.

What is online gaming? Online gaming can be a lot of fun What are the challenges?
and has many benefits for children
Online gaming includes video games and young people. It can help develop Many games have ‘in game’ chat,
played over a device connected problem solving skills, and can including video, voice and text
to the internet and can range from encourage teamwork and creativity that allows players to directly
simple text based games, to games and creative thinking. communicate with each other.
incorporating complex graphics There are also separate apps or sites
and virtual worlds. Games can be Many games have the ability to specifically made for gaming that
played either solo or by many players play single player, however online allow users to communicate with
simultaneously. multiplayer gaming is a popular each other in real time. For example,
activity for young people. Discord is a popular app that allows
How does it work? Popular games vary across age for voice, video and live stream
groups and genres but can include among users.
Online games can be played on
a range of devices, including Minecraft, Roblox, Fortnite, Final It is important to remember that
consoles, computers, tablets and Fantasy, Call of Duty, Animal young people who are playing
smartphones, which can have some Crossing and Grand The ft Auto. multiplayer games could be playing
level of online access. Games can with people they don’t know, and
also have augmented or virtual reality could be a lot older than they are.
capabilities.

Research from the eSafety In game chat is a common method The best thing for children to do
Commissioner suggests that for online child sex offenders to target in these situations is to block the
half of 8-17 year old have played children. It is important for children person and tell a trusted adult
an online game with someone and young people to recognise straight away.
they have not met in person. suspicious behaviour, which
(https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/ can include being asked personal
research/youth-online-gaming-state- questions or to move from a game
of-play/youth-online-gaming) to continue chatting on another app.

thinkuknow.org.au ThinkUKnow_Aus ThinkUKnowAustralia


When signing up for games, young people Tips for staying safe
may be asked to create a profile and username.
A profile or username can give away a lot • Maintain supervision of your child when they
information including your child’s name, are playing games.
age or location. This information can be • Consider disabling in game chat functions
kept private by creating smart usernames. if they are not critical to the game. If your child
is playing games with voice chat, consider
enabling the speakers so you can monitor
discussions.
• Children should only play games with people
ThinkUKnow has created an activity they know and trust. However if your child is
for parents, carers and children to do playing multiplayer games, encourage them to
together to learn how create a smart keep the topic about the game only.
username, visit thinkuknow.org.au • To protect personal information, help your
child create a smart username and profile
that gives out no personal details. It might
be a nickname or a made up name.
• Learn how to block and report other players
and inappropriate contact.

Getting help
Online child sexual exploitation, including grooming and extortion, can be
reported to the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (accce.gov.au).
The ThinkUKnow website (thinkuknow.org.au) has information and resources to
prevent online child sexual exploitation as well as how to report and get help.
If a child is in immediate danger, call 000.

If you become aware of explicit content that has been posted online,
including child sexual abuse material, report the site to the eSafety
Commissioner (esafety.gov.au). They have a range of powers
to take action to have content removed.
Kids Helpline (kidshelpline.com.au) is a free, confidential telephone and
online counselling service for young people between 5 and 25 years old.

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