Video games and online games are not a new concept; it was in the market since the 1960s. But now, due to the advancement in technology, the market for online games is booming. Kids are more and more engaged in playing online games which have brought upon many gaming risks.
In fact, not just kids, even adults, love to play online games. Now you can find online games for people of any age and find games based on your likes and preference.
However, there are many risks coming along with an increase in the number of online games. Before you let your kids play online games, you need to keep in mind the risk that they can face while playing such games. Here is some risk that your kids must know when they are playing online games:
Online Gaming Risks That Children Must Know
Online Game Addiction
Have you ever seen a child who has extreme game addiction? Game addiction affects them mentally and psychologically. In the study done, it is found that gaming addiction causes:
- Depression
- Headache
- Personality disorder
- Low self-esteem
- Introvert
- Less social
- And anxiety disorders
This is what happens if you don’t set a limit for a child. The child must know the effect of online gaming in-game that affects physically, emotionally, and psychologically. While kids are busy with playing games, you can try to encourage children to learn.
Malicious Content
The Internet has a lot of content worldwide. There is much malicious content, even if you don’t try to view those contents. The malicious content might include content such as violence, crime, sexualized content. These harmful contents affect the child’s mind, emotions which bring negativity.
When a user logs in, they ask to enter the personal information. They use this information to send advertisements or inappropriate content, use the content to share your private information with others.
When your kids are playing online games, they can come into contact with some random links. They sometimes can click on those links accidentally and end up viewing such content. Also, in online games, you can find content like violence and crime, which is not good for children.
Risk of privacy
Every information that you enter is not private; many people try to steal your personal information. Personal information: address, location, contact number may be used inappropriately. People with wrong intentions can use your data and information to harm you.
A child must be made aware of privacy and its importance using online games. While playing online games, other players might ask your kids about their information or the gaming site itself as kids to enter their personal information. And at the end, they might end up misusing such information. Setting up password is equally important and password safety tips are a must for kids.
Risk of Chatting
Newly advanced technology helps to connect with everyone. Previously the game was not advanced, but nowadays, we can connect with everyone. From a known friend to an unfamiliar person, it has created a medium to connect.
But these mediums are not good for the child. As it may connect with different strangers through chatting. Chatting contains text chatting and voice chatting. This may often lead to
- Harassment
- Bullying
- Exploitation
IN- App Purchase
All games are not free; many games are in-app purchases that kids might not be aware of. In-app purchase includes the purchase of additional games. To earn revenue, the company puts additional content to users, which can only be used after purchase.
It might not be intentional. Your child might mistakenly click while playing a game when they try to update a weapon, avatar, trying to level up, or when they are stuck at a certain level. This unnecessary cost may be a burden to parents. Therefore, you must make children aware of in-app purchases.
Theft
Mainly, online games are risky; the chances of theft are likely to happen. Identity theft and Credit card theft is possible in the game. Credit card theft steals all your credit card information and makes a purchase online. Identity theft steals all your information and uses it to make a new credit card or false identity id.
You should be aware of your kids about the theft that is present on the Internet and the damages that they can do.
Computer Viruses
Viruses are attached with files. The viruses are attached to obtain all your personal information on the web. This makes way for credit theft and identity theft.
A detailed explanation of the virus should be given to all children. You should teach your kids not to download random games or games cheat files from the Internet. As downloading, such games or files can bring viruses to your computer.
Poor Eyesight
The children must know that a longer period of gaming affects their eyesight. If you don’t want to wear thick and big glasses, don’t spend too much time playing the game.
You may know that when kids start to play online games, they can spend hours on their devices resulting in poor eyesight. Thus, as a parent, you should set a limit for your kids to play games.
Ways to Control Online Gaming Risks of Your Child
The parents must act in this. Even if the child is made aware, the child may not be able to control their gaming habits. Some ideas for controlling online gaming risks are:
Parental Controls Apps
Parental control software can help to monitor your child’s gaming activity. Parents can restrict the access of content to their children. It is one of the most beneficial mediums to monitor your children’s activities and remove harmful and unwanted gaming activities.
The parental control app shows all the device activities of your kids and lets you know what your kids are up to. You can even block gaming apps and websites using parental control apps, which lets you control your kids’ gaming habits by childproofing the home internet.
Engage in outdoor games
Staying at home doesn’t make your child smart. The child’s mental capability problem-solving capability is not boosted by staying at home. Try taking your kid to play an outdoor game; try them to engage in playing outside.
This helps them to relieve emotional stress, tension, mood changes. It helps to boost immunity and health.
Online safety
Teach your child to maintain online safety by changing your password frequently. Enable firewall to maintain security in computer. Teach them to not open the link or download any files.
Make your kids aware of the dark side of the Internet, and teach them how to protect themselves from cybercrimes. Kids benefit from knowledge about cybersecurity.
Engage Them in Leisure Activities
Give them fun in entertaining ways. Engage them in activities that help them physically and psychologically. Activities like:
- Swimming
- Dancing
- Singing
- Chess
Set Games Limit
Put a schedule for game timing and only give them a maximum of one hour for gaming. Try to check them frequently. Don’t buy them personal mobile phones and laptops just to play games. If possible, try to stay around them when they are playing online games.
Enable Software Security
Double Checking is always beneficial. After parental control tries to maintain all the software security, updating the software security, operating software, and firewall settings can filter out the virus and malicious contents.
Limit Personal Information
Personal information should not be revealed in social media and the gaming world. The basic information, such as the name, is sufficient. Other than that, other information should be prohibited by parents.
If some personal data is necessary, then ask your kids to research the game properly before giving their personal data.
Research The Game Your Child is Playing
You can research the games and try the game to find whether the game is appropriate or not. Then only allow your child to play the game. If the game is good enough for them, they can play alongside the child to make them feel happy.
If you play with your child, they feel happy and whenever they download the next game. They will ask you to participate. These help you to be updated about your child.
Reach out to your children
Act like a strict parent when they are not obeying you but also act like a friend when they need. Ask them what they are going through. Are they having any stress, problems? Is someone bullying or harassing them? Are your children safe at school?
Reach out frequently as possible. You do not want your child to go in the wrong direction, so even if you are busy, reach out to them.
Gaming Doesn’t Always Harm.
If gaming is done by setting limits, it doesn’t harm or causes a risk to anyone. The study claims that playing video gives cognitive benefits:
Problem-solving
Brainstorming Games helps in developing brain capability. When you use your brain frequently, your problem-solving ability increases. There are many games like Puzzle and pattern games, Math problems games, Reading games, General Problem Solving Games, etc., that build your kids’ problem-solving capacity.
Memory
While playing games, there are a lot of things that a player must remember. From the rules of the game to playing technique, the player needs to memorize all this content. While playing games, players require a lot of things to remembers, which helps to boost their memory power. As a result, memory power tends to increase.
Improves Concentration
Gaming needs a lot of focus; otherwise, your enemy will not give you mercy. You cannot keep your eyes away from the screen, not even for a second. Whether it is a time-based game or multiplayer games, you have to have the full concentration to win the game.
As a result, it helps in improving focus and concentration. The building of concentration helps in improving concentration in study.
Conclusion
The online game has become an integral part of our life. Everyone has played a game in their lifetime. Gaming, if done within the limit, it becomes a source of learning to enhance skills and developing memory. So, set up limits and schedule.
But if you are an online gaming addict, then it causes negative effects, risks, and consequences. A child must be mainly careful because, on the Internet, there is a lot of malicious and harmful content. You must be careful and apply different ways to protect them. You must teach your children about online gaming risks.
- The use of parental control software
- Not giving them their own devices
- Enabling protection software
- Updating all the software and application thoroughly
- Checking their child frequently.
