gamingAll our Privacy Parent articles about or related to issues to be aware of surrounding gaming.
All our Privacy Parent articles about or related to issues to be aware of surrounding gaming.
October 21st, 2022
Video games can be fun, entertaining, and educational. But gaming also has its problems, exposing young players to health risks and introducing them to bad habits that can be difficult to break. Taken to excess, they can become the Danger Games.
Parents of kids who like to play video games—either on a console or on their phones—should be aware of those risks. At the top of the list: addiction. The founder of a company…... Continue reading >
October 7th, 2022
That headline says it all, really. The New York Times recently published an essay by William Siu, founder of company that develops online games, in which he says he won’t let his own children play the video games he helped create. Citing concerns about addiction, he writes, “as a gaming entrepreneur in the United States for 13 years and a father of two young daughters, I don’t think parents are doing enough to protect kids from the…... Continue reading >
September 28th, 2022
Be honest, parents. You’ve heard of Twitch, but you have no idea what it is. That’s OK. You’re hardly alone. Here’s a primer.
The basics
Put simply, Twitch is a gaming platform that allows users to livestream the video games they’re playing. According to Windstream, Twitch hosts at least 15 million visitors on average every day, with more than 3 million of those being creators sharing their gameplay.
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June 22nd, 2022
Do you know about in-app purchases? If your kids are using a phone or tablet and have access to the apps on it, you definitely should. In-app purchases can escape your notice and cost you real money. The good news is, they’re easy to block.
Some apps, in particular gaming apps, allow users to buy things within the app. No need to log into a separate store—one you’ve vetted, say. The user just…... Continue reading >
July 16th, 2021
The FBI has a warning for parents: Online gaming isn’t all fun and games. Too often, the anonymous people on the other side of the screen are adults, preying on kids.
Parents need to know that while kids and teens are having fun playing with each other or against a machine, adults are also there. And some of them are lurking with bad intent.
The Internet Crime Complaint…... Continue reading >
October 29th, 2020
Apps should earn their place on your phone. If there are unused apps on your phone—apps you haven’t opened in the last month—delete them. You’ll boost your privacy, bolster your security, and de-clutter your phone in one move. Even when apps are “off,” they are still soaking up information about you, feeding the tracking industry at no benefit to you. Fight off the zombies. Delete unused apps.
The Threat of Zombie Apps
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March 24th, 2019
Modern gaming revolves around online connectivity. Without it, playing games like Animal Jam and Fortnite is impossible. Although these games claim to be “free” to play online, there’s always a price to pay for this level of access. And in the case of online gaming, that price is a wealth of personal information that’s made available to gaming companies.
Downloading a mobile game typically prompts a series of requests for “permissions.” These have become…... Continue reading >
January 22nd, 2019
Fortnite is barely a year old, but it’s already an institution among gamers. In fact, people who don’t even play the game still find themselves doing Fortnite dances with their friends or watching YouTube videos of people playing Fortnite. But there’s more to Fortnite than meets the eye, and it’s something parents need to be concerned about.
Fortnite is free to download. It is wildly popular game and it has a huge presence on…... Continue reading >
January 4th, 2019
Kids today love their electronics, but how can you tell when a fun toy becomes a problem for your child? Video game addiction is real, and it is causing serious mental and physical health hazards for today’s children. Compulsively playing video games requires a detox regimen similar to that of other addicts, starting with admitting that there is a problem. Here are the signs to look for if you’re concerned that your…
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