Online Gaming and Virtual Communities

Quick Video: What is Discord? 

Discord lets people chat via text, voice or video in real time. Servers are the main communities on Discord, often focused on a single game or topic (TV series, music, and more). It can also be an easy-to-use group-chatting tool for friends. 

Safety Risks:

• Discord offers some safety features like Safe Direct Messaging, sensitive content filters and friend request/blocking tools but teens can change these at any time. Parents cannot lock these settings, so teens can toggle them off without notice.
• Accounts for users under 18 have extra protection with alerts when a new contact is added, filtering of explicit content,  and message requests from strangers, but these safeguards can be bypassed by creating a new account.

What You Can Do:

• Use the app’s Family Center for insights, however, it does not offer control. Parents can see who their teen is messaging, servers joined, new friends, and recent calls—but cannot change settings, read messages, limit servers, or block features.
• Combine them with ongoing conversations about online interactions and content to help your child build good digital judgment
• Teach your child to spot red flags of inappropriate online interactions and what to do if they encounter them, such as requests to move a conversation to a private chat or connect on a private social media app.
• Ensure your child knows how to use the reporting system directly within the game for inappropriate content/behaviour. 

Source: Parents' Ultimate Guide to Discord - Common Sense Media

Resources: 

• Family Center for Parents and Guardians - Discord

Quick Video: What is Fortnite?

Fortnite is an action-strategy game (cartoonish) with multiple game modes. There is a solo version called, "Save the World," where players are survivors of an apocalyptic storm that work together to defeat the zombies. There is also a multiplayer version called, "Battle Royale," allows up to 100 people to participate in a match together. Players are put in a game map and must compete to be the last one standing by killing every other player. 

• Safety Tip: You can manage permissions for friend requests, voice and text chat, content ratings, and filters for mature language. Parents and caregivers can also set up passwords for in-game spending. 

Source: Parents' Ultimate Guide to Fortnite - Common Sense Media

Resources:

• Help Center - Fortnite

Minecraft is an open-ended game where players use pixelated 3D blocks to build and explore virtual worlds. With minimal instruction, kids learn through experimentation and tutorials, making each new creation especially rewarding.

Safety Risks: 

• Kids can play Minecraft solo, with friends, or online through Realms or public servers. Public servers carry the most risk, as children may interact with strangers, so supervised play is recommended for younger kids.

What You Can Do:

• Keeping your child safe on Minecraft combines evolving parental controls with ongoing conversations, aiming to build their online judgment rather than control every action.
  • To manage controls, you’ll need a Microsoft account for both you and your child, which you’ll set up when purchasing the game.
• Teach your child to spot red flags of inappropriate online interactions and what to do if they encounter them, such as requests to move a conversation to a private chat or connect on a private social media app.
• Ensure your child knows how to use the reporting system directly within the game for inappropriate content/behaviour. 
  

Source: Parents' Ultimate Guide to Minecraft - Common Sense Media

Resources:

• Resources for Parents and Guardians - Minecraft

Quick Video: What is Roblox?

Roblox is a popular online platform where users play and create millions of mini-games (“experiences”) using Lego-style avatars. With millions of daily players - many under 13 - it’s a major part of kids’ online lives.

Safety Risks:

• Content: Extreme violence, inappropriate language and sexually explicit content is possible (and quite likely). You can limit content with maturity controls in settings, but any adult content that is labeled 5+ will remain accessible—use the strictest settings available.
  
  
• Chat risks: Text and voice chat are open to both adults and children.
  • Private servers: Kids can be invited to private servers that allow one-to-one conversations.
    
  • Cyberbullying or coercion can happen in any chat setting. 

What You Can Do:

• Limit chat to “friends only” or “no one” and regularly reviewing their friends list. Content filters do not apply to chats. Open chat settings leave children vulnerable to predators who can try to lure kids off of the platform.  
  
  
• Teach your child to spot red flags of inappropriate online interactions and what to do if they encounter them, such as requests to move a conversation to a private chat or connect on a private social media app.
  
  
• Pair continuous conversations, with managing parental controls:
  • Review your child’s games and interactions.
    
  • Talk about age-appropriate content.
  • Show them how to Report Abuse within the game if anything feels unsafe.

Source: Parents' Ultimate Guide to Roblox - Common Sense Media

Resources:

• Helping families thrive on Roblox - Roblox