Make online games safe for kids
The Belarusian Cybersports Federation (BCF) and UNICEF in Belarus announce cooperation
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The central topic of the conference was the safety of online games for children. It was important to hear the views of stakeholders in order not only to identify challenges, but also to outline solutions. The event was attended by the representatives of eSports, online game developer companies, psychologists, teachers, parents and teenagers.
The theme of the conference was outlined by Tatyana Kolas, teacher-psychologist of the Republican Center for Psychological Assistance.
She described how society perceived online games and emphasized that this hobby had both pros and cons. Online games train self-control, memory and attention, develop critical thinking and reflection, teach you how to leverage technology. At the same time, in the online space, as in real life, the child faces dangers: unwanted content and bullying; and the child can also develop a gaming addiction. The specialist noted that in order to mitigate these risks, parents should be involved: adults could help the child shape healthy habits.
The psychologist urged online game producers to introduce tools for age, time and genre restrictions, a ban on targeting and advertising aimed at children, as well as to improve personal data security and to inform game players about assistance tools available in difficult situations.
Maxim Chuvalov, Publishing Director of World of Tanks, echoed these ideas. He described what game developers had already done to make gaming safe for children and adolescents. He described age ratings applied in the US, UK and Europe, and the role of parental control and government regulation in protecting children in online gaming. Maxim Chuvalov thanked UNICEF in Belarus and the BCF for drawing attention of society and experts to the topic.
Alena Khomchenko, marketer and mother of two sons, voiced the opinion of parents at the conference. She shared some of the challenges moms and dads faced and supported the idea of developing parent guidelines for communicating with children and adolescents addicted to online gaming.
Elisabeth Andvig, Child Rights and Business Specialist from the UNICEF's Europe and Central Asia Regional Office in Geneva, addressed the conference of behalf of UNICEF. She described how UNICEF's cooperation with the online gaming industry was developing and presented UNICEF’s recommendations for online game producers to improve safety of children and adolescents.
The conference participants agreed that online games opened up opportunities for children, helped them develop and communicate, but at the same time, the online space should be safe.
This will be the focus of cooperation between UNICEF in Belarus and the BCF, which will develop in the following domains:
• Conducting a nationwide child online safety survey;
• Developing and implementing the guidelines for online game producers to help adjust internal corporate policies to consider children's rights and increase the level of online safety for children;
• Developing and implementing recommendations for the parents of children fond of online gaming;
• Organizing fundraising events in support of the UNICEF program activities in Belarus.
Online game producers and representatives of the academic community agreed to support this work and engage in it.
Denis Bogush, Chairperson of the Belarusian Cybersports Federation:
“We are confident that our partnership with UNICEF will be a new opportunity to provide a comfortable and safe online environment for all children in Belarus. This is both for those who are going to become e-sportspeople and for those who just play online games. We have already started moving in this direction with the opening of the Meta Space youth eSports center, but still, there is a lot to be done in the future. This includes cooperation with such global partners as the Representative Office of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Belarus”.
Tanya Radochay, UNICEF Representative in Belarus:
“Children of the 21st century spend their free time on the Internet: they study, communicate and play there. Adults should make this time safe, describe possible risks, teach parents to support children in difficult situations, inspire businesses, online game producers, introduce tools to ensure safety and respect for children's rights. We are grateful to the Belarusian Cybersports Federation for their support, and we call on the representatives of the online entertainment industry to join our child-centric efforts.”
