Want to keep your kids safe on gaming platforms?
Platforms like Roblox and Fortnite are playgrounds for millions of children. The problem most parents don’t know…
Platforms are also being used by predators to find victims.
Across gaming platforms, predators are posting attention-grabbing ads in the search for their next victim.
One out of every three boys between the ages of 9 and 12 experienced some sort of online sexual encounter last year, according to Thorn’s latest data. This statistic was the highest it has been in five years.
And it only gets worse from there.
Lawsuits related to child exploitation on gaming platforms are starting to reach record numbers. Parents across the country are just learning how “safe” games like Roblox have severe flaws that predators can manipulate. In fact, many parents have joined together to file a Roblox abuse lawsuit after discovering their children were groomed and sexually exploited through the platform’s friend-making tools.
The good news is parents can drastically reduce their child’s likelihood of being victimized by staying educated on the dangers and knowing how to use safety tools.
What This Guide Covers:
- Why Gaming Platforms Are Dangerous For Kids
- Red Flags Parents Should Always Watch For
- Safety Tools Parents Should Use Right Now
- What To Do If Something Does Go Wrong
Why Gaming Platforms Are Dangerous For Kids
Here’s the reality most parents don’t understand about gaming these days…
Kids aren’t just playing games. They’re on social media.
Players can make friends, join groups, and interact with strangers at an alarming rate on platforms. There are few barriers for predators to talk to children and trick them into believing they have something in common.
It’s the perfect recipe for disaster.
Players can exchange tens of millions of messages on platforms every day. Scarily, there’s no possible way for a moderation team to comb through that kind of communication, even if the company had thousands of moderators.
Instead, predators can create an account in a matter of minutes. They can impersonate another child. And they can chat with victims for weeks hiding in plain sight before making a move.
Meet child on gaming platform → Move conversation to private chat → Begin “grooming” child → Attempt sexual exploitation.
And this is precisely why we’re seeing a massive influx of child exploitation lawsuits. Companies were aware of the dangers of chat but focused more on growth.
Warning Signs Parents Should Always Watch For
Before parents can protect their children, they have to know what to look for.
The truth is predators follow a specific pattern when trying to groom children online. If parents know what these actions look like, they can stop it from happening.
Look for these signs:
- Child becomes secretive about their online activity or rushes to turn the screen off when you approach
- Child begins receiving virtual gifts like in-game currencies/buyables they can’t explain
- Child makes a new “friend” they won’t discuss or becomes very protective over
- Child exhibits mood swings or appears anxious after spending time gaming
- Child is asked to continue conversation somewhere else like Discord or Snapchat
Once children are open about their gaming interactions and suddenly freeze you out in regard to those same conversations, alarm bells should go off.
The sad reality is predators make their friendships seem normal.
They know precisely what to say and when to say it. Predators will shower children with compliments, discuss common interests, and provide gifts in order to form a bond. To a child, this can quickly look like healthy friendship.
The grooming process can typically be broken down into five stages:
- Identify potential victims who are vulnerable or lonely
- Gain the child’s trust through compliments and gifts
- Attempt to isolate the child from friends and family
- Normalize physical contact and sexual topics
- Make a move
As parents learn about this grooming process, they’ll start to see exactly how predators work.
Safety Tools Parents Should Use Right Now
Did you know every major gaming platform has some form of parental controls?
The issue? Many parents don’t know these tools exist.
In one survey conducted by Besedo among 2,000 gamers, 84% said they wouldn’t allow a child under the age of 13 to play any online multiplayer games. These gamers fully understand the dangers online.
So what can parents be doing from a safety perspective? Here are a few tools that can drastically improve your child’s safety on platforms:
Tighten up privacy settings. Take the time to explore a platform’s privacy settings. Turn off direct messaging from strangers. Disable the ability for players to add your child as a friend. Limit who can see your child’s profile.
Turn on parental controls. Many platforms offer parents tools that require permission before purchasing, set time limits, and block mature content. Some services even allow parents to monitor activity through their own parent portal account.
Limit voice chat. All predators want is access to your child. And voice chat allows predators to speak freely with children without any content filters. If you can limit this ability to communicate, you’ve struck out predators at their own game.
Confirm age ratings. Don’t assume because a game looks child-friendly that it is. Observe content ratings and read reviews from other parents before letting your child play new games.
Pay attention. Keep an eye on your child’s friends list, messages, and recently played games. Ask them questions about what they’re doing online and who they’re talking to.
Parents can’t prevent every bad actor from reaching their child.
However, these extra layers of protection can stop predators dead in their tracks before they even know your child is playing these games.
What To Do If Something Does Go Wrong
Not every child can be protected from predators.
If you discover your child was sexually exploited or groomed on a platform, here are some things you should know:
Keep your cool. Threatening or yelling at your child will do more harm than good. Children need to know that the abuse they endured is not their fault. Approach the situation with support and care, not anger.
Document what you can. Take screenshots of any conversations, friend lists, suspicious individuals, etc. Record the times and dates you witnessed suspicious behavior. Print these conversations so you have a physical copy too. If your child is sexually exploited, this information will be used for a criminal investigation and potential lawsuit.
Report the situation. File a report with the platform’s trust and safety team. Send all relevant information to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Contact your local police department to let them know your child was a victim of sexual exploitation.
Get your child help. Online sexual exploitation has lasting negative effects on children. Seek out therapists who specialize in child abuse.
Contact a lawyer. Child sexual exploitation lawsuits are on the rise. Many firms now focus solely on helping parents hold companies accountable. Contact your state’s attorney general to find lawyers who offer free consultations.
The most important thing you can do is support your child.
Kids almost never make up stories about being abused. Make sure you’re there for them and let them know you believe what they’re telling you.
Wrapping Things Up
Gaming online is not going away anytime soon.
Children will continue to enjoy playing games with their friends through platforms. And parents have to realize these aren’t perfectly safe spaces like they may have in the past.
Files suiting child exploitation on platforms are popping up left and right. Companies have been negligent in providing a safe experience and face minimal consequences. Until that changes, parents have to take safety into their own hands.
Let’s review:
- Know that kids are on social media when they are playing games
- Educate yourself on the grooming process
- Use available parental controls
- Pay attention to your child’s activity on platforms
- Take action if you notice something isn’t right
Online safety isn’t a conversation you have with your child once and then forget about.
As new apps come out and children find new ways to communicate with friends, parents have to stay on top of trends. Only then will you be able to truly protect your child from being victimized online.
Companies love to prioritize growth over safety. Parents should love nothing more than keeping their children safe.