Your Content Goes Here Your Content Goes Here If you have a gamer in your household, chances are you’ve heard the word ‘Twitch’ being used. The name sounds fun, age-appropriate, and harmless. It would be easy to assume it is a type of game or a new slang word. In
Your Content Goes Here Your Content Goes Here Warning The following update includes distressing themes, such as suicide and self-harm acts, that may be triggering for some readers. Due to the popularity of online gaming platform Roblox with children and young people under the age of
Over the last two years, there has been a surge in UK households using virtual reality. While it may seem like science fiction, virtual reality (VR) is becoming more popular every day, especially with children and young people. Quick Stats Research predicts the next generation will
As this year marks the inclusion of esports in the Commonwealth Games, we’ve created this guide to esports to help you understand what they are, why they’re growing in popularity, and if there’s any safeguarding risks to children and young people. We also understand that a topic
It has never been more important to stay up to date with the latest advancements in the digital world. As headlines about virtual reality (VR) and the metaverse become more commonplace, one platform is beginning to rise in global prominence. Meta have recently released their virtual
In the last few years, battle royale style games like Call of Duty: Warzone and Fortnite: Battle Royale have become global hits with children and young people. One videogame, however, has taken a different approach to the genre by creating a diverse and interesting world for gamers to explore and enjoy. We’ve taken a deeper look at the popular game Apex Legends to help parents and
We understand that the world of FIFA (and gaming in general) can seem overwhelming and unfamiliar as a parent or carer, especially if a child knows everything about the game. Our online safety experts have taken an extensive look at the popular game to help you better understand exactly what the child in your care
A horror game character from ‘Poppy Playtime’ named Huggy Wuggy has been raising concerns amongst parents, police and safeguarding professionals. WARNING: This contains images and details some people may find disturbing. This should not be shared with young children.
According to the Children’s Commissioner, 93% of UK children regularly play video games. With constant competition from other games, social media, and streaming sites, the challenge to stay engaging is a daily one for any gaming platform. This has led to the rise of gambling in gaming
While you might have fond memories of videogames like Mario Kart and Sonic the Hedgehog, children and young people today will probably be more familiar with games like Rocket League. This free online game can be played on almost any console – no wonder it has
This article features a case study which includes details that some readers may find upsetting. Please note: this article should not be shared with children and young people. With Facebook changing its name to ‘Meta’ and news outlets releasing investigative reports around the
We’ve received recent reports of children as young as six discussing an online horror character called ‘Slender Man’. Our online safety experts have taken a deeper look at Slender Man to address any risks or red flags, as well as our top tips for parents, carers, and
Header Image ©& TM 2022 Roblox Corporation. All Rights Reserved We have recently received multiple reports from parents and school staff about harmful content on gaming platform Roblox. To help you understand how to keep children and young people safe, we’ve created this important Roblox Parents Guide. The latest reports we’ve received have outlined worrying accounts of younger children
Guidance for Parents and Carers WARNING: This contains images and details some people may find disturbing. This should not be shared with young children. Our online safety experts have been alerted to a video game, being described by some users as an “introduction to
Every day, we see the release of new apps and new features that promise to help keep you more connected to others. One of the most popular online spaces for children and young people to connect is Discord. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about this platform and why it presents
Header Image ©& TM 2021 Marvel ©2021 CPIL. All Rights Reserved You may have recently seen popular gaming platform Fortnite in the news due to its ongoing legal battle with Apple. Because this game has always been popular with younger children and teenagers, we are often asked, “Is it safe
With the rapid advancement of technology and the big boom of the gaming industry in 2020, there is a good chance your household has at least one gamer living in it. Gaming is one of the fastest evolving social forums. Even if someone games privately instead of “online” (meaning they can play simultaneously with
There are so many online gaming platforms nowadays, it can be difficult to keep track of them all! One of the oldest platforms is Roblox, which is celebrating its 15th birthday this week. Roblox experienced a 122% increase in platform engagement over 2019 and 2020 due to the pandemic. With over 42 million daily users,
Date Published: 21st May, 2021 If you have a gamer in your household, chances are you’ve heard the word “Twitch” being used. The name sounds fun, age-appropriate, and harmless and it would be easy to assume it is a type of game or a new slang word. In reality, Twitch is a far more
Date Published: 14th May, 2021 A study taken in 2020 showed that 72% of parents don’t understand gaming jargon used by their children. It’s important to understand what these words mean, as some of them can be violent or dangerous. We’ve compiled a cheat sheet of the most common words used by the gaming community and what they mean
Call of Duty: Warzone, the popular Battle Royal style video game, has released one of its biggest updates. Since its inception the game has reached a staggering 100 million online players. Our team have been busy testing the game to bring you the latest updates and explain how you can make the game safer for
The lockdown inevitably resulted in children and young people spending more time playing online games. Research conducted during the lockdown has found that over half of 13- to 18-year-olds prefer to keep in touch with friends via gaming than social media. In the past several years, the line between online gaming and online gambling has become even more blurred. There are also legitimate concerns that being introduced to gambling via
What is it? Facebook have officially rolled out their gaming platform as a brand new App. Facebook Gaming is a separate App to Facebook and is designed for users to stream their gameplay, whilst also watching their favourite streamers play the most popular video games. Although it is a seperate App, it can
“[The] daily routine [for my foster child] was a short walk [and] the rest of the day...was unlimited Fortnite in his room. He speaks of several attempts of strangers trying to contact him via the game.” (Ineqe Safeguarding Group Digital Safeguarding Survey, 2020) The world of gaming continues to evolve with 93% of
Key Points Gaming Disorder has been classified as a mental health condition by the World Health Organisation The NHS has launched a service to tackle gaming disorder Gaming Disorder has multiple symptoms including irritation and lack of sleep Young people with pre-existing mental conditions may be more susceptible