7 Ways Parents Can Better Protect Their Online-Gamer Offspring
It's 11 a.m. Are your kids locked in their rooms playing games online?
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The late-April Nintendo hack in which some 160,000 accounts were compromised has put online gaming safety front-and-center for parents.
While the meteoric rise in online gaming has calmed down a bit since its peak in early April, Verizon reports that online gaming traffic has still been running roughly 70% higher during the COVID-19 stay-at-home period than beforehand. That means a lot more people could be susceptible to cyberattacks.
"Endorphins run high when kids play games, and in the heat of the battle they are vulnerable to clicking on a bad link from a stranger," says Daniel Eliot, director of education and strategic initiatives at the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA).
Parents also need to teach their children that offers of certain game "advantages," such as 10 extra lives, are usually fraudulent and could inject malware into the game system if clicked on.
With that in mind, we've compiled seven online gaming tips to help parents develop strategies for keeping their kids safe online during — and after — the pandemic.
Parents have to do their research on each and every app their kids use, NCSA's Eliot says. Just because it's listed on the Apple Store or Google Play doesn't mean it's safe. Check to see whether one of the gaming magazines has reviewed the app. Also, find out what security features come with the app and whether it includes parental controls. For younger children, you might insist that you download every app so you verify it's safe for your child to use. You'll want to turn off location tracking and determine whether access to the computer's microphone and camera is truly necessary. You can set the camera to be on only when the app is on.
NCSA's Eliot says parents need to sit down with their children and explain -- without creating too much fear -- why it's important to think about security. They need to understand that clicking on links can inject malware into the system. The kids also should feel comfortable to go to you for help if a problem arises. For example, if during a game they (or anyone else) are being bullied, or someone asks them to send pictures of themselves or gets into sexual situations that make them uncomfortable, you want them coming directly to you.
As a follow-up to security basics, parents should teach kids not to use their real names while playing games, NCSA's Eliot says. In addition, they should not provide their street addresses or offer birthday information. And they should never send photos of themselves to people they don't know, either. If anything, they should use avatars, which most kids are very familiar with.
As a general rule, make sure your kids know it's always better to give out as little information as possible. Err on the side of caution.
Many people don't realize that game systems offer two-factor authentication (2FA), but most of the leading game systems, such as Xbox and PlayStation, do, says Ben Goodman, senior vice president of global business and corporate development at ForgeRock.
2FA comes in many options but is usually done via a push notification, such as a one-time PIN number texted to a phone; a biometric authentication on a smartphone with either a fingerprint or by facial recognition; or a one-time password that is good for a certain period of time. 2FA offers a second layer of security to make logins more secure. It also fends off many hackers because any time someone unrecognizable tries to gain access to a device, the 2FA system will send a notice that someone without access rights has attempted to get into the system.
With parents juggling both work and home responsibilities, it's really easy for kids to get lost in their rooms behind closed doors, playing games with strangers and getting into trouble online.
Nusheen Ameenuddin, a pediatrician at the Mayo Clinic who also works very closely with the American Society of Pediatrics, says parents should establish an open game area, such as a family room, where they and other responsible adults can keep an eye on what's going on.
Ameenuddin also advises parents to develop their own version of a "family media use plan." Start by limiting gaming during meals and having all gaming systems go into their charging stations at bedtime.
From consoles to smartphones and tablets, many children play games on a mix of devices. NCSA's Eliot says parents should set unique passwords for every device and game. As a general rule, gaming system passwords should not resemble banking account passwords. (Also keep in mind that older kids, especially, know many of the tricks of how to access credit card info.) In addition, be sure to set passwords for younger children. Many consoles have easy-to-hack default passwords, but it's fairly easy to plug those holes with stronger password management.
ForgeRock's Goodman says parents should take a look at security tools such as Bark and Circle. Bark monitors your child's gaming habits and sends alerts if a site is experiencing bullying, posting adult content, or evolving into a place where sexual predators lurk. It also provides a wealth of tips on making online gaming safer for kids, such as a list of how to install parental controls for more than 10 of the most popular games.
Circle is a platform that helps parents more effectively manage connected devices in the home. It offers many helpful tutorials and tips for safer online gaming.
ForgeRock's Goodman says parents should take a look at security tools such as Bark and Circle. Bark monitors your child's gaming habits and sends alerts if a site is experiencing bullying, posting adult content, or evolving into a place where sexual predators lurk. It also provides a wealth of tips on making online gaming safer for kids, such as a list of how to install parental controls for more than 10 of the most popular games.
Circle is a platform that helps parents more effectively manage connected devices in the home. It offers many helpful tutorials and tips for safer online gaming.
The late-April Nintendo hack in which some 160,000 accounts were compromised has put online gaming safety front-and-center for parents.
While the meteoric rise in online gaming has calmed down a bit since its peak in early April, Verizon reports that online gaming traffic has still been running roughly 70% higher during the COVID-19 stay-at-home period than beforehand. That means a lot more people could be susceptible to cyberattacks.
"Endorphins run high when kids play games, and in the heat of the battle they are vulnerable to clicking on a bad link from a stranger," says Daniel Eliot, director of education and strategic initiatives at the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA).
Parents also need to teach their children that offers of certain game "advantages," such as 10 extra lives, are usually fraudulent and could inject malware into the game system if clicked on.
With that in mind, we've compiled seven online gaming tips to help parents develop strategies for keeping their kids safe online during — and after — the pandemic.
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