kitchen cabinets forum

Keep personal information a secret. Advise kids never to share personal information about themselves or their family with other playerstheir real name, email or home address, age, gender, pictures, and the like.

Protect game accounts with strong passwords:

    Strong passwords are at least eight characters (longer is better) and include a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. Learn how to create them.

    Cheaters and hackers most often gain access because they were given a password, so teach kids never to share passwords with anyone (except parents).

Make up a safe gamer name. Help children choose screen names and gamer tags (such as Kinect ID) that do not reveal anything personal, are not suggestive, and do not make kids easy to locate.

Play fair.

    Treat fellow gamers the way they themselves would like to be treated.

    Do not use unlicensed copies of games; pirated games are illegal and more likely to contain malware. 

Never meet an online friend in person without safeguards in place. Younger children should play only with family or friends you already know. Teens need to work with parents to create a safe plan for meeting someone, like bringing along a trusted adult and meeting in a public place, such as a coffee shop or library.

Help kids avoid online gambling. Have open conversations about the potential for gambling addiction (it is highest for youth) and the costs, financial and otherwise. While most video games are legal for minors, gambling is not.