What are the risks of online gaming?

While there may be many positive aspects to online gaming, it’s also important to be aware of some of the risks:

Problematic internet use (also referred to as ‘internet addiction’ and ‘internet gaming addiction’)—by its very nature, online gaming is designed to hook and engage players, compelling them to go on to the next challenge or level. This can result in over use and excessive screen time, which can impact on your child’s sleeping pattern, eating, performance at school and relationships in the real world. In extreme cases it can have a significant impact on a child’s daily social and psychological functioning.
Interaction with strangers—networked games involve multiple players (in some cases even hundreds or thousands of players). With these games, your child could be communicating with strangers (including adults) through web cam, private messaging or online chat, increasing the risk of contact from predators.
In-game bullying and harassment—while online gaming can lead to positive social interactions, there is also the potential for harm through harassing messages and bullying, either from one player or a group of players. Anecdotally, we hear that girls and women in particular can be targets of harassment and bullying when playing online games.
Gambling—some online games simulate gambling and can expose your child to a realistic gambling experience at a very young age.
In-game and in-app purchases—young people can potentially run up large bills through in-game and in-app purchases. Some games may be free to download, but require the player to pay real money to advance beyond a certain point or to access additional content (like special powers for a character) not available in the free version of the game.
Security vulnerabilities and viruses—this can include vulnerabilities with PC gaming through phishing, keylogging malware or fake apps that can steal passwords and account details. A player may be prompted (and even pressured) to download and install an application or document in order to be a member of a team. They think they have been contacted by a friendly and helpful player, when in fact they have inadvertently fallen prey to malicious software.

Australian experts recommend less than two hours a day of entertainment screen time for children aged 5 to 17 years. Many young people spend a lot more than two hours a day online.

You have a key role in helping your child manage their online time and in monitoring any impacts in their everyday life. Look out for signs like:

reduced school performance
lack of sleep
changes in eating patterns
becoming withdrawn from friends and family.

In some cases, setting firm limits as a family may be enough to help address too much gaming. But in other cases, there may be underlying issues like depression and anxiety that are linked to problematic internet use. If you’re worried that gaming is taking over your child’s life, seek professional advice from your GP, a trained psychologist or the school counsellor.

You can also access advice and help from:

Parentline on 1300 30 1300. Parentline provides confidential telephone counselling which aims to support parents and carers of children.
Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. Kids Helpline is a free private telephone and online counselling service specifically for young people aged between 5 and 25 years.
eHeadspace on 1800 650 890. eHeadspace provides a confidential, free and secure space where young people aged 12 to 25 years, or their families, can chat, email or speak with a qualified youth mental health professional.

George Massouris

Assistant Principal

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