Survey reveals parents wary of children playing age-inappropriate video games

LAHORE: Almost half of parents believe their children play video games that are inappropriate for their age, according to a recent survey conducted by Kaspersky.

The survey found that 47 per cent of parents are concerned about their children engaging with age-inappropriate games. Boys are reportedly more prone to this behaviour than girls, with 50 per cent of boys and 43 per cent of girls violating age guidelines when playing computer games.

The study, titled ‘Growing Up Online’, was conducted by the Toluna research agency at Kaspersky’s request between 2023 and 2024. It included 10,000 online interviews, comprising 5,000 parent-child pairs with children aged three to 17 years, across five countries: Turkiye, South Africa, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Interestingly, there appears to be a discrepancy between parental perceptions and children’s admissions. While 47 per cent of parents believe their children violate age restrictions, only 28 per cent of children themselves admit to playing age-inappropriate games. This suggests that parents may overestimate the issue or that children are not always aware of the restrictions in place.

Playing video games remains a popular pastime for children, with 34 per cent of respondents reporting that they play games 1-3 times a week for a couple of hours. Additionally, 30 per cent of children spend 1-2 hours gaming daily.

“Parents often worry that their children spend too much time playing computer games. While it is important to ensure children maintain a routine, get enough sleep, take breaks from screens, and remain physically active, it is also essential not to blame video games for everything,” commented Seifallah Jedidi, head of consumer channel for META at Kaspersky. He mentioned the need for parents to adopt a proactive approach by exploring the latest video game offerings, understanding their children’s gaming preferences and paying attention to age guidelines. Jedidi added that many games today include educational content, and rather than prohibiting gaming altogether, parents should aim for a balanced compromise.

To ensure children’s safety online, Kaspersky recommends that parents take an active interest in the games their children play. Ideally, parents should try these games themselves to build trust and better understand their children’s interests. If excessive gaming becomes a concern, parents could encourage alternative hobbies to diversify their children’s activities.

Staying informed about cyber threats and discussing potential online risks with children is crucial. Teaching children how to recognize and resist scams is an essential step toward safeguarding their online experiences. Kaspersky also advises using parental control programmes to monitor the apps downloaded on a child’s device and to set usage schedules for these applications.