#Didyouknow that June is National Internet Safety Month? This designation has a specific focus on educating children and young adults who are using the internet about online safety. According to the 2024 Essential Facts About the U.S. Video Game Industry report, 82% of kids (ages 5-7) play video games and 92% of players from Generation Alpha and Generation Z have played games with others (online or offline). For parents and caregivers who may not be familiar with video games or feel less comfortable with technology, these can be daunting statistics! We all want to keep our kids safe and want to feel confident about the technologies used by our families.
For 30 years, the video game industry has been a leader in player safety. And with the advancement of games on mobile devices, and the way some games now use the internet to bring player communities together, we are more committed than ever to helping protect players online – especially our youngest players!
Here are four suggestions for parents and families this Internet Safety Month:
- Seize the Controls! Virtually every device you can play video games on has PIN- protected parental controls that are simple to set up and easy to manage, meaning the grown-ups are in charge. Follow the links below to find step-by-step instructions on how to set limits for screen time, spending, communicating with others and age ratings.
- Understand ESRB age ratings. The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) provides an easy-to-use rating system for video games and mobile game apps to help parents and caregivers decide what video game content is appropriate for their families. ESRB’s three-part rating system includes Rating Categories to suggest age appropriateness, Content Descriptors to explain what may have caused an age rating, and Interactive Elements to highlight features such as in-game purchases or user-to- user communication. Visit www.esrb.org to learn more.
- Know how to use in-game tools. Set clear rules on interacting with friends and strangers during online game play, and then use parental control tools to help enforce them. If you choose to let your kids play online with others, talk to them about interacting with strangers online – the same way you do about interacting with strangers at the park and other public places. Let them know there are tools inside the games – such as reporting, muting and blocking functions – in case they encounter someone who isn’t behaving properly. We work hard to make sure these negative behaviors are rare – but just like in the real world, they do occasionally happen.
Learn more on our Trust & Safety Hub.
- Stay involved and have fun! Video games are fun for the whole family! Did you know that 72% of U.S. parents play video games or that 83% of parents who play video games find time to play with their kids? There are thousands of games that families can enjoy together. Playing with kids helps parents better understand what their kids are playing and are interested in, and also help them keep the lines of communication open — plus they’re fun to play together!
For more suggestions on playing games during the summer months, check out ESRB’s blog,
Managing Screentime Over Summer Break.
