BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – Experts say online gaming can be a huge safety issue for children because it can expose them to inappropriate behavior or conversations.

Experts with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children say online gaming platforms give access to children and it can bring kids in contact with people who may seek to bring them harm.

Some of the top tips to keeping kids safe while gaming online is parents being familiar with the games they are playing and the platforms they are using.

Experts say have conversations with your kids about the games they like to play, the safety features included and understanding who trusted adults are.

You also want to recommend them not meet with anyone from a gaming platform offline and if something happens that makes them uncomfortable, the steps that can be taken to report this on the platform or through the CyberTipline.

“Really, any platform that has those features that gives access to kids is going to come with some risk so its more effective to talk to your kids about what steps they can take to make sure they are safe no matter what platform they are using that you should be aware of when it comes to how they are interacting with people through those platforms,” said Vice Pres. of Content and Community Engagement Stacy Garrett.

Garrett advises you to check the parental controls in these games like turning off the chat or chat room functions.

You can even block online access to some games.

Check out the links below for more details:

https://www.missingkids.org/netsmartz/topics/gaming

https://www.missingkids.org/blog/2021/schools-out-for-summer-gaming-safety-for-kids

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