Gaming consoles and online games

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Gaming consoles and online games
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bet | 5/18 | Sana | 20.05.2024 | Hajmi | 63,57 Kb. | | #246102 |
Bog'liq INFORMATION AND SECURITYGaming consoles and online games
New Zealand kids are spending nearly half (47%) of their time outside of school hours ‘plugged in’ to technology, with ‘playing games on the Internet’ (72%) being the activity children participate in most during the week. 2 in 3 New Zealanders play video games. Gaming consoles have long been a focus of fear and concern for many parents. With so many games featuring violent or sexual content, it is important to be careful about the kinds of games your children play.
In addition, console games that have a multiplayer component, or games that are entirely based online, are open to abuse from other players. Many games allow players from all over the world to chat with one another, potentially exposing kids to harassment and cyberbullying. Kids may also form relationships with other players and may give away their personal information.
Games are also a great way for kids to develop a variety of skills. They help children develop problem-solving skills, learn how to commit to long-term goals, and how to work as part of a team. They can also be a great opportunity for family bonding. Luckily, most gaming consoles provide robust parental controls, so parents can monitor their children’s gameplay.
Some helpful tips for safety when gaming:
Encourage your children to discuss the games they play.
Make sure your child profile is set to private.
Consider keeping the gaming console in a shared, social space.
Study the age rating of the games.
Use parental controls to set up profiles.
Limit the type of people your child can speak to online.
References:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1310/S01035/2-in-3-new-zealanders-play-video-games.htm
Social media
Recently, Facebook pages have been set up in New Zealand that post malicious, distressing, unkind and rude comments about people – sometimes anonymously. One even rated the sexual prowess of individuals. If you want to complain about profiles, pages and other content, use the link on your Facebook page, "Report/Block this person".
Facebook do take complaints seriously, and recently issued A Guide to Facebook Security. This guide suggests:
Only “Friend” people you know.
Create a secure password and use it only for Facebook.
Don’t share your password.
Change your password regularly.
Share your personal information only with people and companies that need it
Log into Facebook only once each session. If it looks like Facebook is asking you to log in a second time, skip the links and directly type www.facebook.com into your browser address bar.
Use a one-time password when using someone else’s computer.
Log out of Facebook after using someone else’s computer.
Use secure browsing whenever possible.
Only download apps from sites you trust.
Keep your anti-virus software updated.
Keep your browser and other applications up to date.
Don’t paste script (code) in your browser address bar.
Use browser add-ons like Web of Trust and Firefox’s NoScript to keep your account from being hijacked.
Beware of “goofy” posts from anyone – even Friends. If it looks like something your Friend wouldn’t post, don’t click on it.
Scammers might hack your Friends’ accounts and send links from their accounts. Beware of enticing links coming from your Friends.
While the format has changed, parents have worried about their kids’ TV shows and video games for years. Social media, on the other hand, is a new worry to add to your plate.
Social media usage is now ubiquitous amongst NZ teens; CensusAtSchool asked students what they did most often with their cell phones. Girls (49%) and boys (31%) said they spend their time on social media. 8 in 10 teens and 6 in 10 primary school children say there are no limits on their screen time out of school – whether that’s playing computer games, using their phones, or browsing the internet.
Children nowadays spend an enormous amount of time on social media. A 2011 Auckland University schools census, which collects data from more than 20,000 students showed that, even though most social media platforms require users to be 13 years of age to sign up, about 60 percent of 12-year-olds, 40 percent of 11-year-olds and about a quarter of 10-year-olds have a Facebook page.
Social media can be particularly addictive for tweens and teens. It also opens the door to a variety of different issues, like cyberbullying, inappropriate sharing, and talking to strangers (more on those below).
Access to social media is also central to teens’ developing a social identity. It’s the way that they connect with their friends, and it can be a healthy way to hang out. The key is to figure out some boundaries so that it remains a positive experience.
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