Among Us is a game that rocked the internet in 2018 when it was released. It is still a very popular social game that has united hundreds of thousands of people all over the world. However, people who are not really into the games still wonder what was and what is so special about it and is Among Us safe for kids. Well, let’s find out!
About the Game
The main thing you should know about Among Us is that it is a multiplayer game, meaning your child will communicate with other people while playing it. You should be ready that while playing it, your kid can learn such jargon as “venting” and “sus” (we will discuss these words in more detail later) or get lost in the game for hours, playing with old and new friends.
The idea of this video game is very similar to Mafia: players must understand who is a criminal among them based on what they do and what they say. The criminal’s role in this game is critical, as all players are moved to the space station, and one of them becomes an imposter who sabotages all the systems on board. Players win if they find the imposter and kick them out of the station; the imposter wins if they manage to survive till the end and kick all other players out.
Among Us Slang
People who play Among Us often use special words (slang) to describe some events or actions other players do. Some of these words may seem inappropriate language to parents, but in the context of the game, they are completely normal.
- Sus: Short for “suspicious,” this term is frequently used to describe someone who is believed to be an imposter. It is where the famous sus meme comes from.
- Vent: Refers to the action of an imposter moving quickly between different areas through the ventilation systems, a mechanic only Imposters can use. Saying someone “vented” is accusing them of being an Imposter relocating to prepare for sabotage.
- Imposter: The role assigned to players who must secretly sabotage and kill the crewmates.
- Crewmate: The role assigned to players who must complete tasks and identify the imposters.
- Tasks: Activities that crewmates must complete around the map. It can also refer to the physical locations where these activities must be completed.
- Sabotage: Actions that imposters can take to disrupt the crewmates’ tasks and cause chaos, such as turning off lights or causing reactor meltdowns.
- AFK: Stands for “away from keyboard”. Used to indicate a player who is not moving or participating actively in the game.
- Third imposter: Refers to a crewmate who unintentionally behaves in ways that help the imposters, often by casting suspicion on other crewmates whose role is obvious to others or defending an Imposter using the chat function.
- Eject: Refers to voting a player out into space (or into lava, depending on the map). Commonly used as “X was ejected,” indicating the player was removed from the game.
- Clear: Used to indicate that a player is confirmed or believed to be a crewmate, not an imposter, often because they were seen completing tasks or because of their actions during the game.
- Scan: Refers to the MedBay scan task, which only crewmates can perform, and is often used to prove one’s innocence.
As you see, the game is quite multifaceted and requires deduction and observation skills to find an imposter or to be able to hide if you are an imposter. If you check the corresponding thread on Reddit, you can see that this online multiplayer game is not only for kids, but many adults play it as well. It makes this game safe and, at the same time, dangerous for kids. If you are confused – don’t be, just keep reading.
Bright and Dark Sides of Among Us
What parents need to know about Among Us is that this game is not only for kids (as, basically, many modern games). There are many adults playing this game as well, so it is a common thing when young kids get teamed with seasoned 30-40-year-old pro gamers. And it is the main advantage of the game, the same as the main disadvantage.
Bright Side
Among Us is an online game that attracts players of all ages, so the chances your kid becomes a bullying victim are pretty low. Based on PACER’s bullying report, it is almost always about the student environment, meaning it is a more common issue for schools. Adult players usually use the chat function in the game to communicate about the game events and find the imposter, so even if some bullying starts – they immediately stop it by reminding the bully that it is not appropriate to do so.
Of course, there are always players with a very serious attitude, and the Among Us game is no exception. But, as a matter of fact, every aggressive player always has a counterweight – a calm and helpful player who makes the game environment healthier.
Another great thing about this game is that people who play Among Us develop their critical and analytical thinking skills. Players start the game with an alarming thought on their minds – “sus among us”, and throughout the game, they must overcome panic and activate their analytical abilities to find out the truth.
Finally, it is a team game, and it teaches all the participants to cooperate and use all the in-game evidence to understand who is an imposter. If you do not communicate with other players and do not unite with them – it is almost impossible to win.
Dark Side
As in any multiplayer game, there are online predators in Among Us – people who join hoping to find a victim for sexual, emotional, or financial harassment. Unfortunately, children are the most vulnerable category in this whole story, so parents must be aware of this and talk with their little ones about all the dangers awaiting them on the internet and how to face them. It is important to explain that kids should discuss with their parents all the cases that bother them and that it is completely safe.
Another point is that with any other game, there is a risk of addiction, especially for introverted children who do not have many friends in real life. Among Us allows them to become a part of a bigger society with its own rules, jokes, and memes. There are several tips to keep children connected to the real world even if they get very interested in Among Us:
- spend more time with them and do not ignore them;
- talk about the internet and all the dangers awaiting there;
- highlight that you do not ban anything, you just want to ensure that your children are safe when they play online;
- provide your children with some alternative time passing: table games, trips, and outdoor family activities.
Ways to Check That Your Child Plays Among Us
Among Us is a game created for PCs and available on some consoles like Nintendo Switch and Xbox, but it cannot be installed on phones. Considering this, there are several ways to understand that your child plays it.
- Check their browser history. Modern gaming is set in such a way that if a child gets interested in a game, they start consuming a lot of visual content provided by YouTube and Twitch. If you find out your child watches videos about Among Us – they are very likely to play it as well. Luckily, the chances that they will see any inappropriate content there are quite low as both YouTube and Twitch have very strict policies on it.
- Check their Steam. Children often activate the automatic login feature on Steam not to enter the password every time they launch it. Thus, you can open it and check if Among Us is installed on their PC and how many hours they have played. For those who don’t know, Steam is the biggest game platform/marketplace in the world. By the way, it also has a parental control feature, so you may limit the time your children spend playing Among Us if you think it is too much.
- Install uMobix on their phone. uMobix is a powerful phone tracker which allows you to monitor all phone activity. Although Among Us cannot be installed on mobile devices, you can still check WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, and if you see your children using such words as “sus”, “vented”, and so on – chances are they play this game. You may also check if the video content they consume on, say, TikTok, is appropriate for kids.
Expert Opinion on Among Us
Child psychologists and educators generally consider Among Us a safe for kids game that helps them to improve some essential skills:
- critical thinking;
- teamplay and social interaction;
- understanding of non-verbal clues;
- handling of deception.
At the same time, it is claimed that Among Us is not always safe for children as parents may never know who their little ones play with, and, as a result, the latter ones can become harassment or scam victims. Among Us is rated a 10+ game because there is some mild violence, and murder with deception comes as its main theme. To ensure that it is safe for kids, there are several recommendations:
- talk with your children about the game and explain that some of the things happening there (like murder or ejection) are not appropriate in real life;
- try to convince your child to play with friends and use the “private games” feature to ensure there are no strangers joining;
- use parental controls;
- try to play together with your child. You may like it as well!
Conclusion
Is Among Us Safe for Kids? Yes and no, it all depends on parents and the environment they can create for their children, their ability to discuss difficult matters with them, and their ability to ensure internet safety. Without any doubt, Among Us is a more useful and profound game as it also develops crucial skills in its players of all ages, and it is the parents’ task to keep children safe.
FAQ
No, there are no 100% safe kids games. Remember that people who develop games are IT specialists, not psychologists, and they work to make money first of all. Thus, there are no games you can just turn on for your child and forget. However, almost every game can become useful if it is played under parental supervision or actively discussed.
Although Among Us allows children to socialize and start thinking critically, it is generally a bad idea to let youngsters play computer games for more than an hour per day, no matter what that game is.
The main thing parents should know is that they are responsible for creating a safe environment for kids. Talk about the game, explain what is going on there, and all the nuances. You can even play Among Us together with your children and make it your family hobby!
