Safer Internet Day and Minecraft – Top 5 Tips for Safe Gaming

Safer Internet Day, celebrated annually on February 11, is a global day of action bringing communities, schools, organisations and families from more than 180 countries together to raise awareness of online safety issues and work towards a safer internet. With the rise of online gaming among children and teens, ensuring a secure and positive digital experience is essential. The overarching theme worldwide of “Together for a better internet” highlights the need for collaborative efforts in creating a safer online world.

Recent data paints a clear picture of the online gaming landscape. Research from the Office of the eSafety Commissioner in Australia reveals that a staggering 89% of 8-17 year-olds play games online, with 40% interacting with strangers. Alarmingly, 40% of children aged 8-12 and 44% of teens aged 13-17 have reported negative gaming experiences, including bullying and hate speech, and over half of teen gamers have encountered potentially harmful content. Similar trends are seen in New Zealand, where Netsafe reports 80% of children aged 8-17 game online, and half of all teens experience conflicts with friends due to online gaming.

These statistics underscore the ongoing need for effective safety measures and parental guidance. Minecraft is stepping up to empower families in Australia and New Zealand and has released its “Top 5 Tips for Safe Gaming” to ensure a safe environment for their children while playing:

  1. Understand Online Interactions:
  • Teach children not to share personal information like their real name or address.
  • Familiarise them with Minecraft’s reporting tools for inappropriate behaviour.
  • Encourage open communication about any uncomfortable interactions.
  • Adjust chat settings to control who can contact your child.
  • This guide can help you and your child understand how to use Minecraft’s reporting tools.
  1. Set Up a Child Account:
  • Use the Xbox Family Settings App to create child accounts with age restrictions.
  • Customise content settings to block unsuitable games and apps.
  • Enable weekly activity reports to monitor gaming habits.
  • Activate the “Ask to Buy” feature for in-game purchase approvals.
  • Check out this page on setting up a child account.
  1. Recognise In-Game Purchases:
  • Explain the difference between virtual currency and real money.
  • Set spending limits on your child’s account.
  • Review purchase requests together to align with family rules.
  • See here to understand how to set up approval needed for purchases.
  1. Balance Screen Time:
  • Create a schedule that includes designated times for gaming, homework, and outdoor activities.
  • Use tools within the Xbox Family Settings app to set playtime limits.
  • Promote regular breaks during gaming sessions.
  • Model balanced screen habits by engaging in non-screen activities as a family.
  • Check out this guide on setting screen time limits in the Xbox Family Settings App.
  1. Build a Safe Online World:
  • Help your child set up private servers to play with friends they know in real life.
  • Teach them how to use moderation tools to manage player interactions.
  • Organise supervised group activities within the game.
  • Stay informed about the latest updates and safety features in Minecraft.
  • See here for how to set up a private server.

The Safer Internet Day 2025 campaign highlights five simple actions everyone can take:

  1. Be kind – Practice respect, empathy and kindness online.
  2. Be mindful – Balance your time online and consume and share factual and respectful content.
  3. Speak up – Report online abuse and harmful content.
  4. Start the conversation – Talk about online safety with your networks and communities, family, friends and colleagues.
  5. Share resources – Promote online safety tools and tips with your networks and communities, family, friends and colleagues.

The Safer Internet Day hub run by the eSafety Commissioner here in Australia offers toolkits and resources for workplaces, schools, families, communities and industry to support these actions. You can read more over at the eSafety Commissioner website as well as the official website for the Safer Internet Day itself.

If you’re looking for more resources and tips specifically for family gaming in Minecraft and on Xbox, visit xbox.com/family. You can learn more about what Xbox offers for families, including information about privacy and access to privacy tools, the Xbox Family Settings app and Community Standards.

If you would like to discuss more about how to keep your children safe while playing games, whether it be Minecraft, Roblox or others, reach out to me via the contact page and I can help set your mind at ease.

#CJITechSolutions