As a parent, you want to make sure your child is safe while online gaming. ESRB ratings are an important tool in protecting your child from content that is not appropriate for their age. In this article, you will learn about the different categories of online games and their ESRB ratings. Also, you will learn about the ESRB ratings for violence, sexuality, and addiction. This is not an exhaustive list of everything parents should know about online gaming.
ESRB ratings
ESRB ratings are important for parents to look at when selecting a game for their children. The ESRB has guidelines for video game content that is age-appropriate, but they cannot rate every game. The ESRB asks publishers to submit their most extreme video games for review, and then assigns specially trained raters to deliberate over them. The ratings are then published on the ESRB website. This website can help parents determine which games are appropriate for their children.
Violence
One study examined the connection between violent behavior and online gaming. While the original study used a single construct, the alternative analysis included four additional items. Although the items were not specifically analyzed for game content, they did reflect the overall content of the games. However, the researchers were unable to identify which of these items reflected game content. As a result, the researchers’ findings have limitations, including a greater potential for false positives and lower confidence in inferences linking online gaming with aggressive behavior.
Sexuality
A recent study by FandomSpot asked 2,000 women their gaming habits. They found that 76 percent had hidden their gender to avoid being harassed by other gamers. This finding is particularly alarming considering that women make up almost half of the US gaming population. Unfortunately, this is unlikely to change anytime soon: 20 percent of women will not reveal their true gender in online games. Nonetheless, these numbers show that gender-neutral gaming environments may betboo a more welcoming space than many of us might think.
Addiction
Professional counselors are observing a rising number of people “hooked” on computer, internet, and video games. Many are seeking help at the behest of family members who recognize that their lives have become imbalanced. Many of these people refuse to accept the idea of addiction to online games, insisting that they simply enjoy playing for relaxation. Those who resist the idea say that games can’t be addictive, but there is evidence to suggest that they are.
Trolls
Trolls in online gaming are an unfortunate reality of the internet. While many social media companies are working to develop technological solutions, some argue that the problem of trolling is not a new one. Trolls are people who sow discord on the Internet through the use of insulting messages and other inflammatory behavior.
They disrupt normal online discussion, and are a significant issue for young gamers. This paper offers several possible technological solutions to combat the issue of trolling in online games.
Language
There are numerous online gaming terms that parents should know. These terms are used by players in modern games that require excellent communication skills to interact with other players. In some cases, the language used is particularly obscene. Fortunately, it is possible to turn off the online chat feature in the settings of the game. But be aware that even if you don’t want your child to see these phrases, they are likely to make their way into your child’s conversation.
Parental controls
Parents may want to consider installing parental controls for online games, as they can help keep children from being distracted by the internet. However, a game’s internal controls are not uniform. For example, Nintendo requires users to have a lengthy friend code before they can interact with it. Other publishers have more elaborate age-gate systems or create private servers that allow only members of their age range to play. These differences may make parental controls for online gaming necessary, but you should consider your own digital parenting style before making such a decision.
Safe spaces
One digital gaming site called Paidia, named after the Greek goddess of play, has a pledge on its community page that its members pledge to reject abuse, promote tolerance and inclusivity. While online gaming is not immune to hate speech, it is especially common for women, LGBTQ people, and other marginalized groups to be targeted in the game community. This is why online gaming companies need to jumpstart more initiatives to protect their users. This way, they can ensure that their games will remain safe for everyone.