A Parent's Guide to Online Games: A Simple Safety Checklist

Games are not the enemy

For many children and teenagers, games are where they meet friends, solve problems and try out new skills. Research on games is mixed: some games help with planning, reading and teamwork, while too much time on any screen can push out sleep, exercise and homework. The goal for most families is not to ban games but to make them a safe and balanced part of life.

You do not need to be a gamer to help. You need to know a few questions to ask, and to keep talking with your child about what they play.

Before a new game: five questions

• What age is it made for? Check the age rating in the app store or on the game's site, and the minimum age in its terms. Many online games are for ages 13 and over.
• Does it have chat? Text or voice chat with strangers is the biggest safety question in online games.
• Does it sell things? Look for in-game purchases, loot boxes and "season passes" paid with real money.
• What does it collect? The privacy policy should say what data is collected about children and how parents can see or delete it.
• Does it promise money? Be very careful with any game or app that says it pays real money for playing, watching ads or inviting friends.

Accounts and devices

• Create accounts together and use your own email address, or a family email, for younger children.
• Use the parental controls that come with phones, tablets and consoles: Google Family Link on Android, Screen Time on Apple devices, and the family settings on game consoles.
• Turn off in-app purchases, or require a password for every purchase.
• Teach children never to share passwords or login codes, even with friends. Most stolen accounts are lost through a code someone was tricked into sharing.
• For games that use the microphone or camera, check the browser or app permissions together and switch off what is not needed.

Talking about strangers

Children should know that people online are not always who they say they are. Agree on simple rules: no sharing of full names, schools, addresses or photos; no moving a chat to another app because a stranger asks; and always telling a parent about anything that feels strange, scary or too good to be true. Make it clear that they will not be punished for telling you, otherwise they may stay quiet.

If someone sends threats, asks for photos or offers gifts in exchange for secrets, keep the evidence, block the person, report them to the game and, where needed, to the police or your country's cybercrime reporting service.

Talking about money

Many games are free to start and earn money from purchases or ads. Explain the difference between game coins and real money, and agree in advance whether any real money may be spent. Watch for pressure tactics such as countdown timers, "only today" offers and random prize boxes, and talk about how they are designed to make people spend.

Scams aimed at young players often promise free in-game currency, skins or real cash in exchange for a login, a code or a small payment. A simple family rule works well: nobody ever pays or types a code to receive a prize.

Agree on time, not just limits

Fixed screen-time limits help, but agreements work better when children help make them. Some ideas that families use:

• Games after homework and chores, not before.
• No screens in the hour before bed, and phones charging outside the bedroom at night.
• Longer sessions at weekends, shorter on school days.
• Games that end naturally, such as levels or energy bars, are easier to stop than endless ones. Agree to stop at the end of a level, not in the middle.

Play together

The best way to understand a game is to play it with your child for twenty minutes. Ask them to teach you. You will see what the game asks of them, whether the chat is friendly, and how they feel when they win or lose. It also makes it much easier to talk when something goes wrong.

Warning signs

• Losing sleep, skipping meals or dropping school work because of a game.
• Secret spending, or asking for gift cards without a clear reason.
• New "friends" that you cannot identify, or a sudden wish for privacy around one game.
• Strong anger or sadness when asked to stop, again and again.

If you notice these, talk calmly, look at the game together and, if needed, ask a teacher, a doctor or a counsellor for support. Our article on healthy gaming habits has more ideas for keeping play in balance.