I think you're right to stick to the plan on this one. The last time I played any online multiplayer games with chat was before my kid was born when I used to play League of Legends (I was a poor player and only got into it because my brother was keen). The sheer amount of casual racism, sexism and general abuse was repulsive. And that's without having to worry about anything more sinister.
Fortnite only allows children under ten to chat with friends and new friends must be approved by me. I'm happy with this. In reality my kid doesn't chat with anyone because I refuse to buy him a headset. I've heard what it's like when his friends come over with theirs and I don't need to hear him shouting, 'Rez me bro!' My kid has made the same argument about more effective team play but it's just safer not to for now.
This hits home. I regularly play Roblox with my daughter so i know what goes on in chat and i can supervise what happens. I point out weird conversations in chat and tell her what's going on and why it's weird or sketch.
Right now she only chats in global in Adopt Me to facilitate trades and to chat with a small group of friends that i know about (and who know who i am).
My 10yo lived 99 Nights but I won’t turn on chat either. He voice calls on his tablet with his friends so they play together and that works. Chat is definitely staying off
I really feel this one as well. “You wouldn’t walk outside our door and talk to strangers, this is the same thing even though they’re typing in this game instead” is the explanation we offered, very similar to yours.
Never have I been so acutely aware that I grew up exactly alongside this sort of stuff as it was being built. I’ve never been too young to navigate this sort of thing, it didn’t really exist in the same way until I was old enough to understand and not be (quite as) easily manipulated!
I think you're right to stick to the plan on this one. The last time I played any online multiplayer games with chat was before my kid was born when I used to play League of Legends (I was a poor player and only got into it because my brother was keen). The sheer amount of casual racism, sexism and general abuse was repulsive. And that's without having to worry about anything more sinister.
Fortnite only allows children under ten to chat with friends and new friends must be approved by me. I'm happy with this. In reality my kid doesn't chat with anyone because I refuse to buy him a headset. I've heard what it's like when his friends come over with theirs and I don't need to hear him shouting, 'Rez me bro!' My kid has made the same argument about more effective team play but it's just safer not to for now.
This hits home. I regularly play Roblox with my daughter so i know what goes on in chat and i can supervise what happens. I point out weird conversations in chat and tell her what's going on and why it's weird or sketch.
Right now she only chats in global in Adopt Me to facilitate trades and to chat with a small group of friends that i know about (and who know who i am).
My 10yo lived 99 Nights but I won’t turn on chat either. He voice calls on his tablet with his friends so they play together and that works. Chat is definitely staying off
I really feel this one as well. “You wouldn’t walk outside our door and talk to strangers, this is the same thing even though they’re typing in this game instead” is the explanation we offered, very similar to yours.
Never have I been so acutely aware that I grew up exactly alongside this sort of stuff as it was being built. I’ve never been too young to navigate this sort of thing, it didn’t really exist in the same way until I was old enough to understand and not be (quite as) easily manipulated!