Social gaming and live streaming

What are the benefits?

The way children communicate has changed over the years. Instead of phone calls, young people prefer to text; instead of hanging out and chatting at the park, children might prefer to hop on Roblox to play and chat with friends after school.

With social gaming, there are a range of benefits, including some of the following.

• Opportunities for socialising: Some children struggle to socialise offline or might not have the opportunity to do so. Social gaming can help these children develop their social skills and find people to talk to who share a common interest. Nearly half (46%) of children who play Roblox, for instance, say they’ve made new friends on the platform.
• Feelings of belonging: In research completed with Roblox, 1 in 3 neurodivergent young people who game said playing games made them feel like part of a community.
• Teamwork and cooperation: There are different types of multiplayer games. Some have every player competing against each other, while other multiplayers — co-op games — require users to form teams and work together. This style of play can help children develop collaborative skills useful for other areas of life.

What are the risks?

• Interaction with strangers: One of parents’ biggest concerns is interaction with strangers of all different ages around the world. While some could be harmful, it’s important to remember that most are not. To keep your child safe, check in regularly with who they talk to. You should also have conversations about potential risk and how to prevent harm.
• Inappropriate content: Live streams contain a greater risk of exposure to inappropriate content as the content happens in real time. Additionally, chat functions present risk of inappropriate language or mannerisms you might not want your child encountering. However, again, regular conversations about what is and is not appropriate can help your child navigate these issues.
• Cyberbullying, trolling and hate: Wherever there is communication online, there is a risk of bullying and hateful behaviours. Some users might use discriminatory language or try to provoke outrage. If your child is active in these communities, make sure they know when and how to report such behaviour. You should also encourage them to block anyone saying harmful things.