The Dangers of Online Gaming
It has been said that “People on the internet aren’t all ugly, it’s just the ugly ones that shine through most.” The internet has become a place that can be accessed from all across the world. It has no restrictions for its content nor does it for its users. This opens up a vulnerable population of people playing online games, namely, kids. We’ve all been told about the “dangers of the internet,” but is it really all that bad?
According to Statista, in 2019, 21% of online gamers were under the age of 18, while 79% of online gamers were over the age of 18. There’s a drastically larger amount of adults playing video games compared to children. Of course, that makes way for predators.
21% of online gamers were under the age of 18, while 79% of online gamers were over the age of 18
Whilst playing multiplayer games, you never know who you’re going to encounter. You’re not sorted off by age. This allows you to meet new people and learn from people that you meet. More times then often, you end up having a great time. However, sometimes people are less fortunate and come across people that are rude or alarming. This was the case for Johanna van Marle, a student at ZIS who I often play with.
“In 2017, I was playing this online game called Unturned” Johanna said. (Unturned is a multiplayer survival game in which multiple people are put in a server. Together you can fight zombies or each other. The game features a proximity voice chat, in which you can talk to people around you.)
“I found this guy and we started talking immediately. He added me on Discord and we were friends for the good part of a year. At first, he seemed to be normal, however, as time progressed he started getting weirder and weirder. Eventually, he asked me for photos of myself when at the time I was only 10 years old and he may have been in his late teenage years. It made me feel very uncomfortable. So I ended up unfriending him and never speaking to him again. That was really the only time that happened to me, and I feel like it taught me how to navigate my way around the internet and how to avoid people like him.”
Whenever you’re on the internet, you need to know that you’re at risk. People will always be strangers to you, so never know their background or intention. A key component of “online gaming” is communication with strangers. Johanna learned from that experience. She learned how to stay away from people like that and how to notice people like that. Furthermore, here are some tips on how to stay safe online:
If you don’t feel comfortable, leave it. There’s no use sticking around in a conversation that makes you feel uncomfortable. Whether you’re in the middle of a game or just plainly talking on another app you can always leave or block the person. Remember it’s about how you feel, not anybody else.
Learn from past experiences. Though it’s hard to tell from the get-go if someone is harmless or harmful, past experiences do help. People that just want to have a good time are going to be friendly. And harmful people are usually going to be the same. You always have to be on edge and having that past experience at the back of your head to pull from is extraordinarily helpful.
You’re one search and a word away. The internet is a wonderful tool that gives us access to information all across the world. If said person has given you information about them you can often find more information about them on the internet. For example, If they’ve given you their social media you can see who they follow and who follows them. From there, you can sometimes find family members or friends. There’s also a variety of websites that allow you to gain background info about people from their names, e.i US government page on prisons and prisoners.
There’s always someone that can help. Never forget that you are not alone. You have family members, friends, and other people in your life that would love to help you. If you’re in a situation where someone is blackmailing you or threatening you and already knows a lot of personal information do not be afraid to tell someone. The more information you give to them, the more they can blackmail you with. Sometimes it may be hard, but you must tell someone you trust.
It is also important to note that it is also the responsibility of the individual to take their online safety and security into their own hands. In summary, Knowing how to traverse your way is essential to have a “toxic-free experience.” - (Toxic is a term used to describe a very negative person, who spreads hate or insults others. The term toxic can also be used to describe a generally unkind and frightening person.) Through past experiences, one can learn the difference from who is good and who wants the last 3 digits of your CVV code.
Every single situation that you have with strangers online is unpredictable. It’s best not to give out details about yourself to people online because of that. Sometimes they might just want to play a game of Warzone and be your friend. And other times, though rarely, people might want to gain the better of you. Therefore It’s crucial to listen to what other people say about giving out personal information on the internet and not ignore them. The dangers of the internet are real and shouldn’t be overlooked.
