Are Video Game Predators After Your Children?

[blueyes]

Children And Gaming

"Here I am trying to get my girlfriend to let me play Halo 3 online with her 8-year-old son and USA Today has to go and release another sexual predators using video game consoles to get to your children story. The story, titled "Predators use gaming consoles to 'get foot in the door'", details several cases in which child predators used games like World of Warcraft and Halo to gain access to children, and the efforts of law enforcement officials who are now forced to play video games undercover to try and catch criminals."

http://kotaku.com/

[Ikarus]

I don't see the harm in the video games.  I remember people used to say the same thing about TV being harmful when I was a kid.

[Saffi]

I think again it's like anything on your computer ..you should monitor which games your kids are playing and the age appropriateness.You should also give your children the Stranger/Danger rules and go over it with them several times if it's a multi player or chat game.Make sure they don't give out clues to Identifying information such as "I live in fiction town..I play baseball ..our schools colors are red and green"Here's a link to learn more.

http://www.safekids.com/child-safety-on-the-information-highway/

[blueyes]

Good info on that link, it`s a scary world these days.

[tatman]

its a shame kids cant even play video games without being attacked

[reist]

I understand, pushing an understanding that there is weirdos out there, but overprotecting(sheltering) is harmful too.  If your kids can't explore the boundaries you set as parents, you'll never know whether or not they're listening and they wont know even into adulthood how to deal with a situation like this themselves

[Ambrossia]

Aye Reist, it's like the whole germ issue "You have to steralize this.. don't let your child play in the dirt, they'll catch germs!.. blah blah blah"
My ex mother in law was like that at the beginning of her grandson's life. Don't get me wrong, I loved her, still do.. she's an awesome lady. But I had to actually put my foot down and tell her that if he doesn't get all germed up now, he's going to be prone to sickness when he gets older!

To me, sitting your child down and just talking, not preaching, not warning.. but just talking with them on a day to day basis on what's out there is not only needed in this time and age, but is prudent if you want them to succeed in life. I pretty much let my son watch or play what he wants, cause he actually talks to me about stuff that unnerves him. I have a pretty shady history, and I've been totally up front with him about it.. and in turn, he's always come to me about stuff he could never talk about with friends or other family members.

Yes, there are games where you can reach kids and lure them into.. whatever.. but a stalker, molester.. worse.. can do that at the library too! It's not hard to get a kid to trust you, especially if you watch them for a few.

Knowledge is power.