The online gaming industry has sky-rocketed in recent years and will continue to grow. Roughly 20 percent of online gamers are below the age of 18 and can be subject to inappropriate content, especially when the video game has online chatting abilities.
All video games are rated based on the game’s assessed maturity level. Parents should follow the rating guidelines to help determine what is appropriate for your child. If you are unsure about a specific game, do your research.
For instructions on how to block inappropriate games, control spending, and limit screen time on gaming devices, visit the Entertainment Software Rating Board website at esrb.org/tools-for-parents/parental-controls.
Does your child know the importance of internet safety and how to identify dangers online? Here are some tips to help teach your child internet safety:
n Educate. Education and communication are the best methods of establishing cybersafe behavior. Setting access restrictions and parental controls are also effective; however, these tools are secondary to education.
n Communicate. Involve yourself in your child’s online activity. Ask them what games or sites they are viewing and who they are interacting with online. Showing a genuine interest in your child’s online activities can go a long way toward opening a healthy line of communication.
n Limit. Implement limitations and restrictions on your home network or individual devices that can filter content, block websites, and set screen time limits. User activity can also be monitored to ensure the rules you establish with your child are being followed.
For more helpful tips about cybersecurity, visit the CyberSafe at USPS® websites on Blue (blue.usps.gov/cyber) and LiteBlue (liteblue.usps.gov/cyber).
— Corporate Information Security Office,
Chief Information Security Officer
and Digital Solutions, 11-5-20
