Online Gaming Support for Parents (source YHGFL) JE Children and young people love playing games. In fact, it is often through games that children first start to use technology. According to Ofcom, nearly half of children aged 5-7 have a games console in their bedroom, rising to seven in ten 8-15 year olds. Handheld Games: Handheld games are played on small consoles. Some of the current popular handheld consoles are the Nintendo DSi, 3DS and the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP). These devices can access the internet wirelessly, and allow for playing games with others online. Consoles: These devices, like the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii, are designed to work with a TV. Consoles like these are capable of connecting to the internet via a home internet connection just like other computers. This allows users to download games or 'expansions' to existing games as well as playing online, although a subscription may be required for this. All of the three main manufacturers (Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft) include parental control functions in their consoles that are linked to age ratings systems. From sport related games to mission based games and quests inspiring users to complete challenges, interactive games cater for a wide range of interests, and can enable users to link up and play together. Games can provide a fun and social form of entertainment often encouraging teamwork and cooperation when played with others. Just like offline games, they can have educational benefits, helping to develop skills and understanding. Today's games consoles have in-built wireless so they can connect to your home internet or other wifi hotspots. This enables a wide range of online functions, such as playing with or against people online (in a multi-player game), viewing films and TV, storing photos and music, browsing the web and chatting to friends. Internet safety advice is directly applicable to gaming devices because risks of Content, Contact, Conduct and Commercialism also apply: Gaming devices provide a variety of interesting activities and ways for young people to engage with their friends and families. However, it is important to be aware of what these devices can do and how you can talk with your child to help them to use this technology in safe and positive way. All modern gaming devices offer parental controls to help you manage how your child uses their
device, but these do need to be set up in order for them to be operational. Three steps for parents: 1. Understand the capabilities of gaming devices and how you as a parent can support your child to be smart and safe in their gaming. To help, read the FAQs below. 2. Find out about the parental controls available - it helps if you are the one to set up the gaming device so you are in control of these. Gaming devices have parental controls to help parents manage their children s gaming, for example, to prevent internet browsing or restrict access to age-restricted games (see our tips for Nintendo, Xbox or PlayStation devices). Find out about PEGI age ratings to help you decide which games are appropriate for your child s age. 3. Talk with your child about safe and responsible gaming and agree a set of family rules. Perhaps you could agree rules with your child about how long they are allowed to play for, how they should behave towards other gamers and agree rules about not meeting up with people they have only met online. See our Family Agreement for more ideas. Remember that gaming devices like the Xbox 360, Wii and PSP connect to the internet, so the same advice and rules for keeping safe online apply. About PEGI? What do the labels mean? The PEGI labels appear on front and back of the packaging indicating one of the following age levels: 3, 7, 12, 16 and 18. They provide a reliable indication of the suitability of the game content in terms of protection of minors. The age rating does not take into account the difficulty level or skills required to play a game.
PEGI 3 The content of games given this rating is considered suitable for all age groups. Some violence in a comical context (typically Bugs Bunny or Tom & Jerry cartoon-like forms of violence) is acceptable. The child should not be able to associate the character on the screen with real life characters, they should be totally fantasy. The game should not contain any sounds or pictures that are likely to scare or frighten young children. No bad language should be heard. PEGI 7 Any game that would normally be rated at 3 but contains some possibly frightening scenes or sounds may be considered suitable in this category. PEGI 12 Videogames that show violence of a slightly more graphic nature towards fantasy character and/or non graphic violence towards human-looking characters or recognisable animals, as well as videogames that show nudity of a slightly more graphic nature would fall in this age category. Any bad language in this category must be mild and fall short of sexual expletives. PEGI 16 This rating is applied once the depiction of violence (or sexual activity) reaches a stage that looks the same as would be expected in real life. More extreme bad language, the concept of the use of tobacco and drugs and the depiction of criminal activities can be content of games that are rated 16. PEGI 18 The adult classification is applied when the level of violence reaches a stage where it becomes a depiction of gross violence and/or includes elements of specific types of violence. Gross violence is the most difficult to define since it can be very subjective in many cases, but in general terms it can be classed as the depictions of violence that would make the viewer feel a sense of revulsion. Descriptors shown on the back of the packaging indicate the main reasons why a game has received a particular age rating. There are eight such descriptors: violence, bad language, fear, drugs, sexual, discrimination, gambling and online gameplay with other people.
Bad Language Game contains bad language Discrimination Game contains depictions of, or material which may encourage, discrimination Drugs Game refers to or depicts the use of drugs Fear Game may be frightening or scary for young children Gambling Games that encourage or teach gambling Sex Game depicts nudity and/or sexual behaviour or sexual references Violence Game contains depictions of violence Online gameplay Game can be played online
Buy a gaming device? Question to ask in the shop Gaming Is it possible to restrict access to games based on age ratings? How do I know if a game allows multiplayer gaming online? Is it possible to limit the amount of time my child can play their game? Internet access Does this gaming device have internet access? What does this allow you to do? Is it possible to filter internet content that is potentially harmful for children? Is it possible to disable the internet browser to prevent my child from surfing the web? Communication How can this gaming device be used to communicate with people by text, voice or video chat? Are there any parental controls to restrict this or ensure that my child only chats to people they know? Films, Music and TV How can this device be used to watch films and TV or listen to music? Can I restrict access to content based on age ratings? Costs How could my child run up a bill using their gaming device? Are there parental controls or ways of restricting spending? Parental controls for different family members Can you put in place different parental control settings for each family member?