- Only 28% of parents believe the industry is adequately addressing child safety.
- Concern is highest among parents of kids aged 4-9 and younger parents aged 18-34.
- 60% of parents fear their children could be contacted by harmful adults through games.
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A new report has found that 42% of parents believe video game companies aren’t doing enough to protect children online.
That’s according to PlaySafe ID’s online safety study which also showed that only 28% feel the industry is adequately addressing safety.
Concern is highest among parents of younger children aged 4 – 9 (both at 51%), and even more pronounced among younger parents aged 18-34, where 58% share these worries.
When it comes to online risks more broadly, parents of children under 18 are most fearful of their kids encountering harm or inappropriate content on social media (57%), with TikTok being a particular concern (52%).
The study also found that 60% of parents with children under 18 fear their child could be contacted by harmful adults through video games. Parents of children aged 10-12 (66%) and 7-9 (65%) expressed the highest levels of worry about this risk.
Creating a safe space
The findings come as the UK’s Online Safety Act takes effect, placing legal obligations on tech companies and game platforms to protect children online.
Aimed at addressing risks highlighted in PlaySafe ID’s research, the law requires firms to identify and reduce dangers or face fines of up to £18 million ($24.4m) or 10% of global turnover.
“The Online Safety Act is a key piece of legislation that finally places responsibility on tech companies and games industry organisations to ensure children are protected from illegal and harmful content,” said PlaySafe ID CEO Andrew Wailes.
“At PlaySafe ID, our primary goal is to make online spaces secure and free from predators, while giving parents peace of mind. We help studios and publishers comply with safeguarding legislation, reducing both legal and reputational risk.
“The data from our study shows that parents are scared and want safer digital spaces for their children. At PlaySafe ID, we believe every child should be able to play games without the risk of harm from malicious actors or predators.”
