How to protect yourself when the online gaming chat turns rotten

Playing games like Roblox, Minecraft and Fortnite is a popular way for young people to have fun and spend time with friends. You can even chat and play together when you’re not at school.

But it’s important to remember that not everyone you meet online is friendly or trustworthy. Some people might be mean or try to trick you into giving them money or gaming currency.* Others might ask you to send photos or videos that are not appropriate.*

One of the places you might meet these people is in gaming chats, which are the places where players can talk, type messages or send messages to each other while playing games online.

According to Kids Helpline, Australia’s free, private and confidential 24/7 counselling service for young people, one of the risks of gaming chats is cyber-bullying.

Cyber-bullying is when someone uses technology to be mean or hurt another person. In gaming chats, this might include calling you names or sending hurtful messages. Other players might also gang up on you, leave you out of a game or destroy or steal your virtual items.

Dr Joanne Orlando, from Western Sydney University, said many children may only be allowed to chat with cousins or friends they know in real life when they are gaming. But other children they don’t know may also be invited into a group chat and it can get out of control.

“Nobody uses their real name, so there’s that level of anonymity* as well,” she said.

Prof Orlando said sometimes kids connect with others over a shared interest, using phrases such as, “I’ll add you, you add me”. But scammers could use these connections to try to trick young people into giving them money or game currency.

“They might say, ‘I don’t have any left, can you give me some? I promise I’ll pay you back’,” she said.

Another thing to be aware of is online grooming. This is when someone builds a friendship or gains a child’s trust online specifically to try to take advantage of them, potentially* harm them or get them to do something they don’t want to do.

Prof Orlando said that it sometimes takes months before it becomes clear what is really happening.

“At first, they’re really friendly and normal,” she said. “Then they will suggest in some way that the chat goes to another platform, like Discord or WhatsApp. That can be a red flag.* Another is if it ends up being just the two of you in a group chat and you don’t really know this person apart from gaming.”

The person might slowly change the way they talk, moving from friendly chats to conversations that are designed to build a close relationship and make you trust them. Then they might start talking in ways that make you feel uncomfortable, such as telling rude jokes.

“After the conversation goes to that space, it might get around to asking and encouraging the child to send them photos or videos,” Prof Orlando said.

People who do this may try the same trick with lots of different children to see who responds. Kids who don’t have many friends at school can be more at risk because these people may try to use online spaces to make them feel like they have found a new friend.

Southern Cross University researcher and PhD student Dana Trenaman, who is a member of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, said it was important to think about the things that people you meet online are asking you about, as well as their behaviour.

“Think about what’s the purpose, what are they trying to achieve, what are they trying to get?” she said. “Is that a question you would expect to be asked? If you don’t know how to respond or it makes you feel uncomfortable, that’s when you seek support from someone else.”

If you ever come across someone online who makes you feel uncomfortable, you and your parents (or another trusted adult in your life) can change your settings to block that person from contacting you. The steps are different for every game, but you and the trusted adults helping you can check the eSafety Commissioner’s eSafety Guide to find out how to block and report someone.

Trenaman said it’s also – and always – extremely important never to tell anyone you meet online any private information, like where you live or what school you go to.

And remember, if something online doesn’t feel right, trust your feelings, block the person and tell a trusted adult.

To access the eSafety Guide, head to esafety.gov.au/key-topics/esafety-guide and for support head to kidshelpline.com.au

The eSafety Commissioner – Australia’s government organisation for online safety – can sometimes work with websites and apps to have harmful posts, photos or videos removed. Please tell a trusted adult if online content has concerned or upset you. You can also contact Kids Helpline, where friendly counsellors are available 24 hours a day to listen and help. You can call 1800 55 1800 or chat with them online.

POLL

GLOSSARY

currency: a system of money in common use

appropriate: suitable, proper, or fitting

anonymity: being unknown by name or having one’s true identity hidden from others

potentially: with the possibility of becoming actual, or happening in the future

red flag: a warning sign or a signal that something is dangerous or wrong

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QUICK QUIZ

How are kids generally cyberbullied through online gaming?

What is grooming?

What does Professor Orlando refer to as a “red flag” in online gaming chats?

What questions should you ask yourself when you chat with someone online?

What is one effective way to stop someone making you feel uncomfortable in an online chat?

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