Gaming sites are another place online where you can encounter a variety of people. They can be great places to socialize, to learn strategy skills, and develop creativity. They also provide a channel for meeting and interacting with folks like you who like to make new friends online. However, it's important to remember that players often have fictional identities as part of the game so you don't know who they really are. They might also be able to chat with you during the game, and harassment or attempts to get personal information do occur. To help avoid exposure to interactions that might be harmful, talk with your kids about safety if they are gamers and about using safety features, and if you are a gamer, educate yourself about any risks. Kaylyn's brother hadn't taught her any safety rules about gaming online. He felt she was on a safe site because it was geared toward younger children and had cute cartoon player characters rather than threatening warrior figures. Her brother had introduced her to the game, so Kaylyn never even thought about any need for safety, and talking to people in the game didn't feel at all like breaking the family rule about not talking to strangers. It was all just pretend. The gamer handle she chose, though seemingly innocent to a 10-year-old, suggested her gender and age. Because they bought the game console for Kaylyn's very responsible older brother, they hadn't even thought about setting up protections they would have wanted for their 10-year-old daughter. If they had, they could have made certain family settings that
Kaylyn was lucky that her mother had interrupted her before she shared her phone number. A 10-year-old girl is not necessarily a good judge of strangers' motives.
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