Game On or Guard Up? UNICEF Warns Parents: Video Games Can Build Brains or Break Boundaries Without Safeguards
In this comprehensive UNICEF feature, Professor Daniel Johnson of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child presents a balanced, research driven perspective on children and video games, placing strong emphasis on safeguarding through parental engagement rather than fear based restriction.
The core safeguarding message is clear. Parents should not stand outside their children’s gaming worlds but step into them. By playing alongside their children and allowing them to lead, parents build trust, credibility, and open communication. This foundation becomes critical when setting limits on screen time, deciding which games are appropriate, and monitoring who children interact with online.
The article identifies key risks that require active supervision. These include exposure to strangers in online games, toxic gaming communities involving cyberbullying or hate speech, deceptive “dark pattern” monetization techniques, and unhealthy engagement when gaming becomes a child’s primary source of emotional fulfilment. The expert advises using in game controls, privacy settings, age ratings, and open conversations to reduce these risks. Importantly, children must feel safe reporting uncomfortable online experiences without fear of punishment or losing gaming privileges.
The feature also addresses concerns about violence in games, referencing scientific consensus that long term links between video game violence and real world aggression are minimal. However, it stresses that developmental appropriateness remains essential.
Overall, UNICEF frames video gaming as neither a danger nor a cure all. Effective safeguarding lies in informed supervision, digital literacy education, balanced routines, and shared responsibility between families and the gaming industry. The message is practical and empowering. Protect children by participating, guiding, and staying present in their digital lives.
