Guide to Using Video Game Chat Rooms: Are They Safe?

Video game chat rooms add an extra layer of interactivity for gamers, allowing them to meet with new people and show their love for the game. However, is there a dark side to them? Are chat rooms safe? Let’s find out by looking at the pros and cons of this topic.

Video game chat rooms add an extra layer of interactivity for gamers, allowing them to meet with new people and show their love for the game. However, is there a dark side to them? Are chat rooms safe? Let’s find out by looking at the pros and cons of this topic.

What Are Video Game Chat Rooms?

Many online video games have a chat room where you can communicate with other players via text or voice. Online games with chat allow you to meet new people worldwide and collaborate in the game. However, game chat rooms online are fraught with dangers for kids.

The Dark Side of Video Game Chat Rooms

While online gaming can be fun and chatting with new players for socializing, online chat games have been called a hunting ground for online predators. With 20% of children experiencing sexual harassment online, video game chat rooms can be a significant concern.

The dangers can significantly depend on the game your kid is playing, as some games have strict parental controls that limit chatting for underage users. While your kid can enjoy online gaming with strangers, you, as a parent, should stay heads-up about who they are interacting with and where.

Types of Video Game Chat Rooms

Just as there are many types of video games, there are many kinds of video game chat rooms. To keep your kids safe, knowing which video chat rooms they frequent can help you stay in the loop. Let’s look at each type of chatroom.

• Open Chat Room. These are public video game chat rooms, such as the waiting lobby for a game like Call of Duty. Here, players can introduce themselves, banter, and more. However, they may be places where predators may be awaiting.
• Private Chat Rooms. These are chat rooms where players talk in an exclusive room. Their team may be limited to this room, so they interact and strategize. Alternatively, it may be a private chat between players who wish to get to know each other more.
• Video Chat Rooms. These are chat rooms that employ webcams and other video recording devices. These aren’t as common in chat games, as many players like to stay anonymous. However, some players love to show their faces.
• Voice Chat Rooms. Finally, we have voice chat. This is where people communicate with each other using exclusively their microphones. This can be a great place to banter and think of strategies, but it can be a haven for predators and cyberbullying.

Types of Apps with In-Game Chat

Many popular apps like Fortnite and Facebook Gaming have an in-game chat. Each app will have its chat rules, but despite them trying to maintain some order, there are always bad apples coming in to ruin it for everyone involved.

Chatting Apps with Built-In Games

Now, let’s look at some chatting apps centered around games. These games can be fun if you and your child practice standard chat room safety rules.

Habbo

Here is a mobile game that is a long-term one. Launched in 2000 as Habbo Hotel, it’s still a popular app where players can meet up with people, chat with them, create avatars, and attend events. It’s an old-school metaverse that keeps breathing new life into itself. While it can be fun for kids, it’s an app you want to watch as a parent, as you can run into some bad players and trolls there trying to ruin your fun.

Roblox

Roblox is one of the most common games in this regard and one you have probably heard of. This metaverse lets you create your character, visit world communities, and start your culture. And, of course, you can play plenty of games, too. Roblox has existed since 2006, meaning it engages a robust amount of kids and adults playing. However, it can be dangerous for your offspring unless you are careful, as there are known cases when underage children were exposed to threats.

Ludo King

Here is one centered around the game Ludo. It’s an app with detailed chat features that let you banter. And, of course, you can play Ludo. This Indian game has been popular since 2016, attracting young audiences. While it may not be a haven for predators, there are gaming apps like it that you should take heed of. These apps tend to have colorful games but can attract some odd people.

Gaming Apps with In-Game Chat

Let’s look at some popular video games across several platforms that may be of concern. These are recognizable games that you’ve probably heard of.

Call of Duty (CoD)

This is one of the most popular multiplayer game series, where players control a soldier and battle through a story campaign or each other online. While these games are rated M, meaning they’re intended for 17+ users, many people under that age still play them. It’s not infamous for predators, but its toxic chat, where a child may be bullied. While Call of Duty has cracked down on toxic players, it still remains a problem.

Fortnite

Fortnite is a famous battle royale title that has received many updates and continues to be recognized today. It attracts a younger crowd, as it is a newer game series than CoD and has a softer T rating. While the chat can be used to banter and make friends, parents should be mindful of toxic behavior and potential predators. These can make a great game into a horrible experience for everyone involved.

Minecraft

Minecraft continues to be a popular title since its launch in 2009, where players can create worlds, survive many dangerous foes, and collaborate by visiting each other’s worlds. It has a chat that players can use to communicate with each other, and it can encourage creativity in kids as they make digital creations that rival great works of art. However, since it is a game played by children and adults, parents should be mindful and ensure safe chatrooms environment.

Gaming Community Apps

Now, let’s look at some apps where gamers gather. Sometimes, they are integrated into other games. First, let’s start with one of the most infamous, and that is:

Discord

Discord is a gaming-centered app where people can make their servers, each with smaller chatrooms, and communicate via text, voice, and video. Some people use it instead of a game’s built-in chatroom, and it’s also popular among non-gamers. However, it is an infamous app where moderators and bad players may try to take advantage of your kid. This isn’t to say that Discord is automatically bad, but you need to be aware of where your child is frequenting and who they are talking to.

Twitch

Next, we have the Twitch app. It is famous for gamers who want to stream themselves, playing video games, ranting, and chatting. It’s the biggest live-streaming app, and it includes a built-in chat. Twitch can be an excellent place for your kid to stream or talk with their favorite streamer, but there is a chance for predators to take advantage of this relationship on both ends of the spectrum. Stay vigilant of who your kid is watching and who they are talking to.

GameTree

There is also GameTree on our list, a community app that lets players discuss games, get recommendations, and engage in a community. GameTree claims that the community tries to be as non-toxic as possible, but like any app with video game chat rooms, people will try to ruin it for all. While children use it not so frequently, we recommend watching your kid should they be using it, as imperfect people may lurk on it.

Video Game Chat Rooms: Dangers of Interacting with Strangers

While online gaming has positives as well, many chat rooms dangers can lurk in them. Let’s look at some online gaming safety concerns that can arise, whether it’s video, voice, or texting games chatting.

Chatting with Strangers

Strangers online can be people their age, making for a lifetime online friend. However, many strangers can be people with bad intentions. As a parent, you want to look into who your kid is chatting with and ensure they’re not speaking to anyone who may harm them.

Inappropriate Content

Don’t let the game’s rating fool you, as online chats are not part of the rating. A player can make sexual remarks or use foul language that may be inappropriate for your child. The game may be rated E or T, but the chat may be M-rated.

Private Chat Requests

Many games have private chats, which allow players to have one-on-one conversations. While many private chats can be banter between friends, sexual predators may use this as a potential to groom your child or send them inappropriate messages. Constantly monitor any private chat you come across.

Offering Gifts

Some games have in-game gifts or ways to send money. A predator may use this to send gifts to your child to groom them or make them lower their guard. If a player keeps giving your kid gifts, this is where you should step in.

Cyberbullying

It is not just predators you have to worry about; kids or adults can make rude comments about a child’s voice or appearance or insult them in many other ways. Some people may dismiss this as online trash-talking, but it can be highly harmful, depending on the context.

Encouraging Suicide

If a player of video game chat rooms is upset or gloating, they may tell your child to kill themselves. Like cyberbullying, this may be seen by some as trash-talking. However, if your child is already depressed and experiencing suicidal thoughts, it just takes a few words for them to self-harm or attempt suicide.

Exposing Personal Information

Video game chats have some anonymity to them, but a child can give too much information, such as their location or the school they attend. This can lead a predator to find out where they live or a scammer to steal their identity if they are not careful.

Lying About Who They Are

Finally, since video game chat rooms tend to be text or voice, where predators can easily alter their voices, you should be skeptical of who your kid is talking to. If they claim to be the child’s age, do some further digging. It may be a predator pretending to be a child or adolescent in an attempt to prey on them.

How to Protect Your Kids from Open Chat Rooms on Video Game Platforms

Your child can play online games safely, but as a parent, you should take some preventive measures as follows:

• Many video game platforms come with parental controls. Take advantage of them to give your child a safe experience.
• Limit screen time. Kids need time outside of gaming, and this will reduce their chances of running into predators.
• Check the ESRB rating and buy age-appropriate games for your child, as they tend to have stricter chats that give predators less chance.

How to Talk to Your Kids About This

As a parent, you want what’s best for your kid but don’t want to come across as someone trying to spoil the fun from video game chat rooms. Here are some things to tell your child:

• Tell them not to give away personal information, such as their real name, address, school, etc.
• If they make an online friend their age, ask to speak to them in video chat to prove who they are.
• Encourage them to come to you if they are being harassed or receive a creepy remark from someone.

How to Monitor Your Kids

Should you want to keep an eye on your kids, uMobix can help. Our parental control app lets you see your child’s activities on popular gaming apps and social media hubs such as Roblox, Discord, and more. The app also saves communications and alerts you if there are specific keywords, helping you keep your kids safe.

Being one of the most popular parental control apps worldwide, uMobix delivers affordable subscription plans that allow one to save for longer periods. In case you have any questions, our round-the-clock support is ready to help you out with any concerns.

Conclusion

Video games have evolved from when you were a child, with realistic graphics and many ways to connect. However, while these have their advantages, they can be dangerous in the wrong hands. Be mindful of predators, and ensure your child speaks to people with good intentions.