Gaming should be a positive experience for all
Video games represent one of Europe’s most rapidly growing segments of creative industries, and represent a regular leisure activity for over half of European citizens of all ages.
Video games can provide many benefits to its youngest users (children and young people), such as:
- Enhancing cognitive skills: video games can improve problem-solving, spatial awareness, attention to detail, and decision-making.
- Developing social skills: multiplayer video games allow young people to collaborate and develop teamwork, leadership and communication skills.
- Improving mental health: video games can provide an outlet for stress and anxiety, as well as improve mood and self-esteem.
- Encouraging creativity: some video games offer players the ability to be creative, expressive and innovative.
- Providing educational value: some video games can teach skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, history, geography, and even foreign languages.
However, video and online games can carry some risks, depending also on the age and experience of the gamer. These risks might be:
- Risks related to contact, such as inappropriate contact with strangers, cyberbullying, or grooming.
- Risks related to content, such as being exposed to violent, sexual content, drugs and alcohol, or advertising.
- Risks related to conduct, such as harassment, inappropriate behaviour, or sharing of personal information.
- Risks related to contract, such as in-game purchases, scams and frauds, gambling, unfair and unethical practices, and persuasive and addictive design.
We want to ensure that gaming is a happy, positive, rewarding experience for all. Therefore, one of the European Commission's priorities is the protection of minors as consumers in the digital environment, including in games, and to combat unethical techniques used by online platforms such as the addictive design of online services in gaming, such as infinite scroll, default autoplay, or constant push.
Legal framework
Digital Services ActUnder the Digital Services Act, ‘dark patterns’ are prohibited. This term describes deceptive online interface designs intended to influence and trick users into rash actions, purchases, or complicating the cancellation of subscribed services (R 67). Platforms cannot display adverts based on profiling and targeting if they are certain that a user is a minor (Art. 28). Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) are required to alert users to advertising content and the advertiser’s name especially when targeting minors (Art. 39). |
Unfair Commercial Practices DirectiveThe Unfair Commercial Practices Directive sets rules in relation to misleading, aggressive, or otherwise unfair commercial practices including marketing practices. It protects all consumers, including children, in stores or online. It considers children a group of consumers who are particularly vulnerable to such practices and prohibits direct exhortation towards children. |
Get to know the games
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The BIK guide to apps provides key information about some of the most popular apps used by young people (and adults) today.
PEGI ratings consider the age suitability of a game's content. The PEGI classification system includes five age categories and eight content descriptors, including violence, gambling and sex.
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A comprehensive review of many popular games and apps. It is possible to filter by age and device.
Parental controls
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The parental controls section of the BIK parent corner offers tailored advice and support for parents and caregivers to set parental controls on a range of devices.
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VGE's player and parental tools provide a hub for parents and carers to manage their children’s playtime and spending on video and online games.
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Internet Matters offers a large set of guides and checklists to set parental controls on various apps and devices.
From the Insafe network
The Insafe network of Safer Internet Centres (SIC) provides a wide range of resources, tools, kits, articles, and guides - available in different languages - specifically designed to ensure that young people can play online and video games in a safe and fun way.
