Most young people have consoles such as Xbox, Wii or PlayStation that enable you to interact with other players and play games with friends – and complete strangers.
Gaming sites can be very addictive and can seriously affect your school, family and social life. It is important to have an ‘online – offline life balance’ so monitor your gaming activity and limit the time you are online and make time offline for your friends, family and other activities you enjoy.
Many games that you can play online are above your age level and intended for an older audience .This can not only expose you to bad language, sex scenes and violence but also exposes you to older people who may assume you are the same age as they are. This has the potential to introduce you to older adults who are far more experienced in playing games and places you at risk of being groomed or bullied.
You may find yourself getting involved in a situation that you do not know how to get out of. Levels of games are set for a reason and it is advisable to take note of them in order to safeguard yourself.