Make sure your nickname does not include your:
- full name
- school’s or college’s name
- date of birth
- address or the town you live
- mobile number
If you’re able to use a profile picture, try using an avatar that doesn’t show your face. If you do use a picture, think about whether it shows anything that could be used to identify you, like your school logo or your street name.
When you create your account, it’s a good idea to make sure you use a strong password.
Be careful what you share
Games are a great way to make friends online. But it’s important to think about how much you’re sharing about yourself.
Be careful about sharing personal details, like your address, phone number, where you go to school or your full name. Even if you only share a few small things over time, someone might be able to use it to find out more about you.
Think about who you’re playing with
Most online games are open to everyone, that means you could be playing with people much younger or older than you. You might also be much better or worse at the game than the people you’re playing with.
Remember, if you’re playing with people online:
- you can report and mute anyone who’s abusive, threatening or who tries to bully you
- people might not always be honest about who they are
- be careful of scams, and don’t accept gifts or offers that seem too good to be true
- be nice to the people you’re playing with, even if they’re not as good at the game.
There can be times when people use games to ask children and young people to share sexual pictures or nudes. People who do this might make you feel like you can trust them, ask you to keep things secret or give you compliments or gifts. This is called grooming.
When you share something online, even in a private message, you lose control of it. If you’re talking to someone online and they’ve asked you to share sexual images or personal details, it can help to talk to someone you trust first, or to a Childline counsellor.
Check your privacy settings
Changing your privacy settings can affect who can see if you’re online, who you can play with and whether people can see what games you’re playing.
Every game and console is different, so make sure you always check the settings to see what your options are.
Take breaks
Lots of people like to play for as long as they can without stopping. But taking short breaks when you’re playing games can help you to stay healthier and stop you from getting bored.
Try taking a break if you’re:
- not enjoying the game as much as you were when you started
- getting angry or upset at other people or the game
- feeling tired or hungry
- starting to ignore things you need to do, like homework.
Watch out for loot boxes and in-app purchases
Lots of games are free-to-play, so you can download and start them without paying anything. Games like this make money by making you want to buy things, like new skins, loot boxes, items or lives.
If you’re tempted to buy things in-game:
- Check whether something will cost real world money before you buy anything
- Ask the person who’ll be paying before you buy anything
- Keep track of what you’re spending, even if you’re buying cheaper things they can end up costing a lot
- Don’t buy items from websites outside of the game itself
- Take time away from the game before you decide whether you still want something
Loot boxes can seem like fun, especially if you get something valuable from them. But they can also encourage you to keep buying them and make you feel like you have to play for longer.
Mods and downloads aren’t always safe
Downloading cheats or mods from websites other than the official game website can be dangerous. Mods can contain viruses that will damage your computer or mobile, and give hackers access to your personal data.
Whenever you can, always use your mobile’s app store or download mods from official websites.
Do I play games too much?
Lots of games are designed to keep you playing. Things like achievements, ranks and even match lengths can all make you feel like you want to play for just a little bit longer, they might make you feel like you’re addicted to the game or can’t stop. If you’re immersed in a game, it’s easy to spend hours playing without even realising.
Signs that playing games might be affecting your life
- It stops you from doing other things you enjoy, like spending time with friends or family
- You struggle to stop playing or thinking about games, even when you know you should
- Games stop you doing things like your homework or sleeping
- Playing games is the only way you can cope or feel better
- Spending too much money on games
Being bullied or trolled in games
A troll is someone online who says or does things on purpose to try and get a reaction from you. Anyone can be bullied or trolled in games. People might:
- say nasty things or constantly target you
- exclude you from playing or gang up on you in-game
- steal or destroy your online items or creations
- try to hack your account or find you on social media.
Being bullied is never your fault, and there are ways to cope if it happens.
Try to not respond if someone’s nasty to you. Lots of games will let you block or mute people in-game. If you’re not sure how, try asking an adult you trust. You can also try playing with different people.
Play these games
There are different kinds of games. Some can make you feel better when you're feeling stressed, lonely or upset. We have lots of games you could try that can help take your mind off things and have fun safely.