Odds are your kids play video games. Regardless of the limits you set or the tools you use, talk to your kids about them. For many families, video games are a part of everyday life. Many games allow players to talk and play with other people — or buy more content right from the console or game. And plenty of games are designed with a grown-up audience in mind. Depending on the system, parental controls might include: Game Rating Restrictions: This setting this lets you decide which games can be played on a console or handheld gaming device based on the rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board ESRB. For example, you might set the system to allow games Rated E for Everyone to be played, but not games rated Teen or above. Disabling Internet Access: This setting can prevent your kids from accessing online features. For example, some systems include parental controls that allow you to mute or disable online chat, which might include profanity or bullying by other players. Some systems that offer online gaming also give parents the ability to approve friend requests or create approved lists of friends their kids can play with or talk to. Time Limits: Some game systems let you set days and times your kids can play, and for how long. Profiles: Some systems let you create multiple profiles with different settings for each. In-game Purchase Restrictions: Sometimes you can buy downloadable games or downloadable content with the credit card tied to your account. But in most cases, you can set a password to restrict those purchases. Microsoft, for example, offers parental control information at. Video Game Ratings Along with using parental controls to set limits, think about what kind of games you want your kids to play. Video games have their own rating system from the ESRB. Ratings, printed right on the game box — or included at online storefronts for games downloaded directly to a game console — include: Age Ratings: On the front of most game boxes, age rating symbols Early Childhood to Adults Only 18+ give you an idea of the ages the game may be appropriate for. Content Descriptors: On the back of the box, the content descriptors detail game elements — like violence, sex, language, and gambling — that may have triggered a particular rating. Games that are available only as a download through a console or handheld storefront do not get rating summaries. Other organizations offer even more detailed information on game content. For example, Common Sense Media has game reviews, including recommended ages, at. The Android, Apple, Microsoft, and BlackBerry mobile operating systems, as well as some online retailers, have online app stores. But since not all apps are free, you may have to provide a credit card number to set up an account. App ratings: Some app storefronts have developed their own content ratings for the apps they offer. Some parental controls rely on content ratings to screen out apps that may be inappropriate for kids. Phone settings: You may be able to restrict content by age rating, or require a password for in-app purchases and app downloads. Check with your mobile provider. For example, you might be able to buy virtual currency from a game to buy virtual extras for an online world or avatar. Or you might be able to pay to upgrade to a premium version of a game. Many devices have settings that allow you to block in-app purchases or require a password before they can be made. Many phones and devices let you turn this feature off. For more on mobile apps, including the type of data they may collect, read. Web-Based Games What about the time your kids spend playing games online? For more on tools that might help, read. Are there limits on what they can play, or when and how long they can play? Another good idea: keep your computer or game system in a common area. That opens the door to ask questions and have conversations on the spot.
