There’s no shortage of benefits that games bring to players, from increased creativity to developing interpersonal skills to greater self-confidence. Yet, gaming popularity grows, so do the silent risks posed to children online. Fortunately, there is an organisation leading the fight against child abuse and developing safe game design guidelines. The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) is the UK’s leading children’s charity, protecting and advocating for youth in the UK and Channel Islands for 139 years. Joining host Peggy Anne Salz on the show this week is NSPCC’s Head of New Product Development and Innovation, Andy Sallnow, and Gaming and Digital Disruption Consult, Kevin Antao. Andy and Kevin discuss how children experience games differently, channels that pose the greatest threat to young users, and the Safe Games Festival. From February 5-11, 2024, at a state-of-the-art eSports venue and featuring live streaming, safeguarding workshops, and a fierce eSports competition, this festival joins parents, youth professionals, young gamers, and industry leaders to celebrate games and “promote safer gaming through design, production, and education.”

CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro

03:25 - How has social gaming impacted children?

08:03 - Safe game design

14:06 - Research into harm in the metaverse

17:35 - Is privacy-first harmful for children?

20:26 - Game Safe Festival

24:08 - The Games Bundle

26:05 - How to get involved in preventing child abuse

29:10 - Impactful NSPCC partnerships and resources

34:26 - Favourite games Q&A with Andy and Kevin

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