More than half child gamers play with strangers online
New Ofcom research also found the issue is the top worry for parents.
More than half of child gamers at least sometimes play with strangers online, according to new research.
Regulator Ofcom, who did the research also found this is the thing parents worry about the most when it comes to their children playing games online.
Parents other concerns also include seeing inappropriate content and pressure on their children to spend money in the game.
The research
Some 55% of children who game online said they play at least sometimes with people they have never met in real life, while one in five (20%) do so all or most of the time they play.
Almost two-thirds (64%) of parents of child gamers said talking to strangers was their main concern, followed by bullying by other players (60%), seeing violence, bad language or disturbing material (59%), and pressure to make in-game purchases (51%).
Online safety watchdog Ofcom said it surveyed a total of 2,522 parents of three to 17-year-olds and 1,719 children.
Information related to children aged seven or younger was provided by parents or guardians rather than the children themselves, while responses were gathered directly from children aged eight and above.
The advice
Ofcom is advising parents to keep their child safe by checking the settings in place for their games including who they can be contacted by and the type of content they can see; chatting to their child about gaming to ensure they know they can speak up if they have concerns; and reviewing and changing settings where needed.
Tony Stower, Ofcom’s online safety gaming lead, said: “The world of gaming is moving fast, but if you’re a worried parent then Ofcom is on your side.
“Helping to make your child safer doesn’t need expert knowledge, just a few simple steps. Taking a few minutes to check who your child is playing and chatting with can make a big difference.
“Parents can do their bit, but ultimately the buck stops with gaming platforms. They have a responsibility under UK law to keep children safe on their platforms, and Ofcom is working to ensure this happens.”