Safeguarding - Keeping children safe online
Online games such as Minecraft and Roblox are increasingly popular - find out more details on parental controls and how you can keep your child safe.
Minecraft Minecraft is rated as PEGI 7, meaning it is suitable for those over 7 years of age.
Minecraft is a game where players can create worlds using blocks. There are two different modes – creative and survival.
In creative mode, users can build what they wish and have unlimited resources, whereas in survival mode, players must gather resources, find food and defend themselves against mobs. Survival mode may include mild violence and scary characters.
You should be aware that there is a multiplayer option available where players can chat with each other. In-app purchases are also available to buy items such as skins, so ensure purchases are disabled or that a password or PIN is required to make them.
Ensure appropriate parental controls are applied on both Minecraft and the console itself. Find out more here:
Further information: What parents need to know about Minecraft | Parent Zone
What is Roblox?
Roblox is a platform consisting of a collection of games. Players can either create games or play games that other users have created.
It is free to download (however subscription options and in-game/app purchases are available) and can be played across numerous devices.
A lot of the content is user-generated, which may mean not all games will be suitable for your child to view/play. If your child is playing Roblox, it is important to monitor what your child is accessing and set up appropriate parental controls. PEGI rate Roblox with a Parental Guidance label. This is because it is difficult to rate due to the huge level of user-generated content.
New Parental Features - Roblox has released three new parental controls for your child’s Roblox account. These are: 1. Friend blocking - you can now block anyone on your child’s friends list that you do not want them direct messaging. 2. Experience blocking – you can now block any specific experiences (games) that you do not want your child to access. 3. Top game insights - you can now see the 20 experiences (games) your child has spent the most time on in the last week.
You can find out more here: Roblox Safety Center