Important guidelines for gaming with strangers

Lori Getz, MA Technology Expert shares advice for parents on the most important things to consider in order to keep you child safe when gaming with strangers
Guidelines For Kids When Gaming WIth Strangers
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Important guidelines for gaming with strangers

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When I was a kid, my brothers and I would go to the park, and we would play pickup basketball games with people who were 20-30-40 and 50 years old. And I knew I could say to them things like, "hey pass me the ball," "let me take it out," or even "great game." But what I didn't do was say, "can I get your phone number so I can call you next week and find out where you're playing?" In today's online gaming environments, sometimes our kids are going to be playing with strangers. But they need to understand these are not friends. If your child is too young to understand that a person they're playing with is just another player and not a real friend, it's not the right environment for them. However, if you've got a child playing a game like Mind Craft or World of War Craft or even Draw Something with someone else and they know that a real friend is someone they both know and trust, and this person is only there for the moment, it might be okay. The problem lies with these people who are in these gaming environments, they don't pretend to be a child, they don't pretend to be anyone they're not. So sometimes you will have an adult to a 10-year old, "let me give you coins," "let me give you lives," "let me help you in this game." And that needs to raise some red flags to this child. They need to know that maybe in that moment they need to end that game with that person. It's not someone they want to continue to have a relationship. It's like the guy in the white van saying, "hey let me give you candy and get into their car." That's a relationship we want to end with our kids when they're playing games online.

Lori Getz, MA Technology Expert shares advice for parents on the most important things to consider in order to keep you child safe when gaming with strangers

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Expert Bio

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Lori Getz, M.A.

Technology Expert

Since 2004 Lori has worked as an Instructional Technologist in Los Angeles, CA. She has a Master of Arts in Educational Technology from San Diego State University and is certified by isafe.org as an Internet Safety Specialist. In September 2008 Lori founded Cyber Education Consultants and began speaking to students, parents, and educators about Internet safety, security and ethics.  Since that time Lori has reached out to Internet users across the world!  Her mission is simple- to help bridge the gap between a young generation of digital natives and their parents and teachers. 

Today, Cyber Education Consultants provides workshops, professional development and consulting services to more than 100 schools across the country.

Lori is an educator, mother, and Internet safety expert.  She has appeared on the "Dr. Phil Show," "Today," "HLN," “Dr. Drew” and several other local news and radio programs (including the Ryan Seacrest show on KIIS FM).  She often lectures live, speaking to parents, teachers and students. Lori has been published in several areas including as an online expert for momlogic.com and kidsinthehouse.org.  Most recently was featured in Rachel Simmons’ new edition of “Odd Girl Out” and Lucie Hemmen’s, Ph.D “Parenting a Teen Girl.” She is currently working with the “I Have a Plan” series to develop a children’s book on online safety.  Her insight comes from both her professional and personal life working with children, tweens and teens.  

 

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