Most parents remember playing Super Mario Bros or the Oregon Trail but are overwhelmed by all of their kids' video game options and are left wondering: are today’s games safe to play or are they are causing harm to students? The answer is yes, to both.

While there are some positives to playing video games, there are also some dangers that parents should be aware of before letting their students play violent video games.

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What students think about violent video games (video)

In this video students answer the following questions about violent video games

(Click on the three lines or a blue dot in video progress bar to skip to a chapter)

1. How much time do you spend playing video games?
2. Why are video games so addictive?
3. How do you feel after playing video games?
4. What are some negative impacts of video games?
5. What would you recommend to a younger student?
6. What are positive impacts of video games?

Student, parent, & educator training video

(This video can be shown in the classroom)

Students: Download this pdf to follow along with the video

What we're covering in this video lesson

(Click on the three lines or a blue dot in video progress bar to skip to a chapter)

1. Addiction: what video game companies want from us
2. How are video games addictive?
3. Signs of video game addiction and what to do if a friend show signs of addiction
4. Dangers from chatting with strangers online and how to avoid incidents with strangers
5. Do we behave differently after playing video games?
6. How to have fun and manage game time together
7. More family tips for online gaming

5 ways families can be safer on online games (video)

(4 minute video of tips for students and parents)

5 tips you'll learn in this video lesson

(Click on the three lines or a blue dot in video progress bar to skip to a chapter)

1. Play together
2. Play without a headset
3. Manage your game time
4. Set goals and earn more game time
5. Be cautious of scams

Parent & Educator Content:

Psychology of violent/dangerous video games (expert video)

What you'll learn in this video lesson

(Click on the three lines or a blue dot in video progress bar to skip to a chapter)

1. What attracts students to games with violence?
2. How does playing violent games impact kids?
3. Why are these games so addictive for students?
4. Beyond violence, what are dangerous features?
5. How can parents keep students safe on video games?
6. What are benefits of playing video games?
7. How do we get kids off video games?

Quick tips for parents (3 min video)

What you'll learn in this video lesson

(Click on the three lines or a blue dot in video progress bar to skip to a chapter)

1. Family tips for online gaming
2. How to manage game time
3. What to do if you see red flags of addiction
4. More tips for parents

Parent & educator video lesson

(Video designed for parents & educators to watch without students)

What you'll learn in this video lesson

(Click on the three lines or a blue dot in video progress bar to skip to a chapter)

1. How are video games rated?
2. Why do students like to play video games?
3. What devices and what types of games do students like to play?
4. Dangers of online gaming
5. What is gaming disorder?
6. Red flags of video game addiction and what to do if you see them
7. How to set time limits on video games
8. What parents can do to keep their kids safer while playing video games

Why do students want to play video games?

“The games are fun because of the action feeling of hiding, running, and shooting. It can also make you feel better than others because of your weapons.”

Tyler, SmartSocial Student Advisor

“They are fun because you can play those games online with other students and it builds connection or feels like a social game instead of an "on your own" sort of game.”

Ziya, SmartSocial Student Advisor

• Connecting with friends - Opportunities for more socializing compared to TV reading - many games offer chat features and players enjoy interacting with other players 
• Fantasy world - the graphics, colors, and music can all be very alluring and help the player get lost in the fantasy 
• Competition - Most games require that you battle and/or compete against others
• Problem solving and challenges - most games require the player to solve problems and work towards a goal
• Edge of seat - The action that many games offer is exhilarating
• ‍Fun topic of conversation - students at school will talk about video games even when they are not playing

Dangers of violent online gaming

• Video games can be highly addictive for young minds who are still building personal, social, and decision-making skills for themselves
• Playing violent video games has proven to desensitize feelings towards others in need
• Many online games allow voice and text chat options where students may interact with strangers and potentially predators
• Many players spend a lot of money on in-app upgrades

“A brain imaging study published in the journal Psychology of Popular Media provides evidence that violent video games can lead to a desensitization to painful images, suggesting a reduced empathy for pain.”

“...frequent gamers may down-regulate their empathy response in order to manage their performance in the game.”

PsyPost

“The legal action alleges that when a person is engaged in "Fortnite" for a long period, the player’s brain releases the “pleasure hormone, dopamine” and that "Fortnite" was developed by psychologists, statisticians and others over four years “to develop the most addictive game possible,” all so Epic could reap lucrative profits.”

USA Today

ResearchGate

Gaming addiction signs & tips

• The video game industry is worth more than $300 billion worldwide (source: Earthweb) and they continue to make money by creating gaming experiences that cause players to want to play as much as possible
• The gaming companies make a profit by selling advertising, in-game upgrades, brand new games, and releasing new versions of already popular games that make players want to spend more time and money
• The most addictive games have no defined ending or “Game Over” and enable and encourage social interactions with other gamers or collaborating with other players to advance in the game
• In-game rewards and “leveling up” are often set on a variable schedule
• The virtual world can continue to change even when the player is not online - causing the player to feel they are “missing out” if they aren’t playing
• Video games can generate intense emotions that feel like “real life”
• “Gaming Disorder” was declared a mental health condition by the World Health Organization (Source: Business Insider)

Signs of video game addiction

• Thinking about gaming constantly
• Feeling bad when they can’t play
• Needing to play for longer and longer to feel good while playing
• Not being able to put the controller down or reduce playing time
• Withdrawing from friends and activities that were previously enjoyed
• Having trouble sleeping 
• Having problems at school or home
• Lying about how much time is played or sneaking extra playing time
• Using gaming to ease bad moods or feelings

What to do if you see red flags of addiction?

• Talk with your kids about their gaming and the behaviors you see affecting them outside of the game
• Set time limits for play and discuss why limits are important
• Help them reconnect with other interests and hobbies or make social connections with friends in real life
• Keep phones and other gadgets out of the bedroom so they won’t play into the night
• Encourage them to exercise daily to lower the health risks of sitting and playing for long stretches of time
• Seek help from a doctor or a counselor if the problem gets out of hand

In the news

“Through the use of video game chats, [the defendant] is alleged to have found and lured a 13-year-old girl into meeting him in person for the purpose of exploiting her for sex. ”

U.S. Department of Justice

“A 45-year-old New York man has been arrested for threatening to shoot an 11-year-old boy over Fortnite, according to police. Huntington resident allegedly made the threats by text and voice messages through Xbox after the boy beat him.”

abc News

What can parents do to help keep students safe?

• Read and follow the ESRB ratings for games
• Discuss and set expectations WITH your student
• Set the family rule that games can start only AFTER a child’s responsibilities for the day are done (school, sports or music practice, reading, chores, etc.)
• Start with clear limits on time--American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 30-60 minutes per day on school days and less than 2 hours on non-school days (Source: AAP)
• If your student plays the games on a console, use the console’s parental controls to limit how much time they play
• Consider using a visual timer, like an egg timer or phone timer, to track how much time your student has left to play
• Select specific days of the week that devices are disconnected
• Help kids identify and line up other activities to look forward to after their game time is over
• Play WITH your kids, and watch how they light up when you spend time on a subject they enjoy
• Turn off the game’s chat settings for younger players
• Remind your student to never give out any personal information to others online (home address, real name, city, school, etc) and that people online are not always who they say they are
• Reassure your child that they can talk to a parent or trusted adult if any online interactions  ever make them feel uncomfortable
• Don’t let your students wear a headset while playing
• Don’t allow gameplay behind closed doors
• Set up all available in-game parental controls 
• Check in often. Children are more likely to stay safe online when their parents check in regularly
• Tell your student to immediately tell an adult if they know that a friend is chatting with strangers online and/or going to meet up with someone in real life
• Learn more about Fortnite, Call of Duty, Apex Legends, and Overwatch from these SmartSocial resources

Key terms/slang about video games

• Arena mode - a player-controlled character is placed in a closed-off area and must attempt to defeat other players using their unique skills 
• Assault mode - one team tries to attack (or capture) areas that are defended by the other team
• Avatar - the player’s character in the game world
• Battle Pass - an in-game, tiered reward system to give players extra items after playing the game or completing certain challenges.  There are usually both free and paid options 
• Battle Royale - individual players or teams enter a shrinking playing field and must search for weapons/shelter while battling until there is one player/team left
• BM - Bad Manners - conduct that is disrespectful or unsportsmanlike
• Boss - a computer-operated character in a video game that is harder to beat, often at the end of a level or a game
• Campaign mode (Story mode) - a mode that tells a story and the player’s actions can affect which path the story takes
• Challenge mode - a level of play that requires the player to repeat a certain section or battle but with limited resources
• Cooperative gameplay (co-op) - players work together as a team to face computer-operated challenges
• CPU - a computer-operated player
• Cranking 90’s - a Fortnite term that refers to building a tower full of 90 degree turn
• Cross-platform play - games that can be played together by players on different platforms or gaming systems

• Deathmatch - a player must try to kill as many other players as possible in a given time period
• E Sports (Electronic Sports) - organized, competitive gaming where players are usually rewarded with monetary prizes and recognition
• Expansion Pack - a free or paid add-on to a game that usually offers new characters, worlds, weapons, etc to an already existing game.  
• FPS - First Person Shooter - a genre where the player experiences play from the view of their character, often down the scope of their weapon
• F2P or FtP - games that are Free To Play
• Game Launcher -  an application program for a PC that is used to launch games (example: Battle.net, Steam, or Epic Games Store)
• Health - the amount of damage a player can take before being defeated
• IAP - In App Purchase
• Kill-death Ratio (K/D ratio) - the number of times that you killed an opponent vs the number of times they killed you
• Loot box - rewards to players for completing certain levels or tasks usually given on a random basis - may cost money
• MOBA - Multiplayer Online Battle Arena - teams of players have to defend their home base from enemies 
• Microtransaction - in-game purchases where players can purchase virtual goods
• Mod - third part addition or change to a game
• NPC - Non-player Character - a character that is controlled by the computer (also, CPU)
• PC - Player Character - the character in the game that is controlled by the player
• PvE - Player vs Environment
• PvP - Player vs Player
• PUG - Pick-up Group - a group of players that spontaneously join together to beat a common goal and then disband after completion
• RPG - Role Playing Game
• RTS - Real Time Strategy
• Sandbox - a game where there is no true objective or goal, players have the ability to create, modify, or destroy their environment
• Skin - an add-on to a player’s avatar to change its appearance or weapons

Conclusion

Joining with friends to work towards a common goal in a virtual world can be a fun and rewarding experience for many students.  However, there are some dangers and possible negative effects of playing these violent games.  SmartSocial thinks there are ways to have fun and still stay safe while playing video games.

Additional Resources

Read more about Fortnite with the Fortnite Guide for Parents

Read more about Call of Duty with the Call of Duty Guide for Parents

Read more about Overwatch with the Overwatch Guide for Parents

Read more about Apex Legends with the Apex Legends Guide for Parents