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Media contacts: 0207 025 6662 or [email protected]
A third of parents feel out of control of kids’ online gaming
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 Nine in ten (91%) parents say their kids game online
 Half of parents (51%) worry about their child’s safety
Nearly two in ten (16%) say their kids have been bullied or abused online
 Get Safe Online helping parents to get ‘Switched On’
20th July, 2015 – LONDON – Get Safe Online, the public private joint internet safety initiative, today
revealed more than a third (37%) of parents feel like they have no control over their children playing
online games. In addition, more than half (51%) worry about their safety when it comes to gaming
online.
This summer holiday, a significant number of children will be picking up their tablets and consoles to
embark on a six week marathon of online gaming. According to a survey of 2,000 parents with
children aged 5 – 18, nine in ten (91%) parents say their kids play games online. While the majority
of parents say they limit the amount of time their children spend online gaming, a third (34%) admit
that their child plays at least once a day.
The most popular device to game on is tablets, with three in five (62%) parents stating their kids use
these devices to play. This was followed closely by mobile with 47% of children using their phones to
play games. This mean’s a child’s online activity is often out of their view.
The online gaming sector is continuing to grow at a rapid pace1, yet despite this surge in popularity,
the community remains unfamiliar to many parents. Nearly a quarter (24%) are unaware of the
online security risks for their child when it comes to online gaming, whether they are playing with
their friends or within a virtual world.
This ignorance can be dangerous, particularly when a quarter of parents (25%) know their children
who game have disclosed personal information while playing online against other players; a third
(34%) have spoken to someone they don’t know; and more than a quarter (28%) have developed
friendships within the online gaming community.
Additionally, 16% of parents are aware online gaming has been used as a platform for their child to
be bullied or verbally abused. This could be even higher in reality as youngsters do not necessarily
always share their online experiences with their parents.
Tony Neate, CEO of Get Safe Online comments:
1
Global Gaming Revenues Set to Reach US182.8 Billion by 2015
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“In most cases, online gaming is fun, social and harm-free. But we need to be realistic that kids are
naturally going to want to play games with their friends, but parents are right to be showing some
concern about a world they are perhaps not familiar with themselves. The risks range from
downloading a computer virus, to bullying and even being targeted by an older predator with more
sinister motives.
“There are minimal restrictions when it comes to online gaming, meaning anyone with access to a
gaming account from anywhere in the world can potentially make contact with other players using
that game. Parents need to be switched on and have an open and honest conversation with their
children, making sure they are mature enough to game online in the first place, and are aware of the
threats and right gaming practices from the off. Young people should be on their guard against
random friend requests and make sure they don’t share any private information which could put
them at risk.”
David Emm, Senior Security Researcher at Kaspersky Lab explains:
“Although parents will frequently warn their children from an early age about ‘stranger danger’, this
is generally directed at interactions in the physical world, with their key concern being that they don’t
talk to strangers they encounter on the streets. But we now live in a connected world where
strangers are commonly encountered online, so this kind of sound advice needs to be delivered in a
digital context too.
“While it can be hard to enforce such advice and encourage safe online behaviour, fortunately, there
are tools that can help. Parental control software can help establish and enforce the framework for
what´s acceptable online and which websites can be accessed. It can even be set to control how
much time children can spend playing online games. One of the great things about parental control
software is that it can normally be configured and customised, allowing parents to create different
profiles to suit individual children at varying levels of maturity.”
Xxxx from Thames Valley Police comments:
“As parents, it’s impossible to know what your children are doing all of the time, particularly when it
comes to online gaming where there is a level of obliviousness about the complex digital world kids
are entering. In the same way you would warn your kids about the risks of riding a bike or crossing a
road, it’s important to educate your children to the security dangers early on so you can feel
comfortable knowing they are playing safely, and your children know when to alert someone to
anything suspicious. Unfortunately, some people playing these games are not who they say they are
but by working together, we can stop these online criminals.”
Top tips for safe online gaming:
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Have an open and honest conversation with your kids about their online gaming and the
risks involved
Tell your kids never to reveal private information like their real name, email address, home
address, family members or financial details
Explain that not everybody is who they seem or claim to be, and their motives may be
suspicious
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Tell them not to respond to bullying or other abuse, and to tell you straight away if they are
experiencing this
Join in with your kids gaming from time to time. This will give you an idea of the games
they’re playing and who they connect with
Set and monitor limits for the amount of daily or weekly time your kids spend online gaming
Check age ratings of games to ensure your kids aren’t accessing inappropriate content
Never give your child your payment card details as extras can be very costly
If you think you have been a victim of fraud you should report it to Action Fraud, the UK’s national
fraud reporting centre by calling 0300 123 20 40 or by visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk. For
further advice on how to stay safe online go to www.GetSafeOnline.org
ENDS
For further information:
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Contact the Get Safe Online press office team on 0207 025 6662 or [email protected]
Visit www.getsafeonline.org
GetSafeOnline.org on social media:
 Twitter: @getsafeonline
 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GetSafeOnline
 Google+: https://plus.google.com/111686736307855785273
About Get Safe Online
Get Safe Online (www.getsafeonline.org), which is now entering its seventh year, is the UK’s national
internet security awareness initiative. A joint partnership between the Government, Ofcom and
private sector sponsors from the worlds of technology, communications, retail and finance, the
initiative continues to educate, inform and raise awareness of internet security issues to encourage
confident, safe use of the internet. getsafeonline.org is supported by the Cabinet Office, Department
for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS), Home Office, Action Fraud, Ofcom, HSBC, Barclays, Microsoft,
Gumtree, Symantec, Kaspersky Lab, Bob’s Business, Creative Virtual and PayPal.
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