A parents’ guide to live-streaming video games: 6 tips you should know

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Do your kids live-stream their video games, sharing their digital adventures with friends, family members and a largely anonymous online audience? They’re not alone.To get more news about 39bet-đua chó-game giải trí -đá gà-đá gà trực tuyến-đánh bài, you can visit official website.

The popularity of video-game streaming is surging. A growing number of gamers today are live-streaming their gunfights and space battles with an online audience of fellow gamers.
This sharing isn’t just about showing off high scores. Audience members enjoy watching the real-time reactions of gamers as much as they root for them to rack up points or defeat a big boss at the end of a particularly challenging level.

Video-game streaming has become a prime source of entertainment in the gaming world, with players relying on such streaming sites as Twitch, YouTube Gaming, and Microsoft’s Mixer to share their games with their audiences.

The challenge for parents? Well it’s not just about kids spending too much time in front of their screens. Game streaming also comes with several online safety issues: Hackers can infect the computers of gamers with malware, or they can trick gamers into surrendering personal or financial information.

1. Covid-19 equals more streaming time
TwitchTracker — which, as its name suggests, tracks activity on video-game streaming site Twitch — says viewers watched more than 1.75 billion hours of video-game streams in May 2020. That's up from 1.2 billion hours in March.

Another interesting stat? TwitchTracker says viewers had watched more than 438 billion minutes of video-game streams from the start of 2020 through the end of May 2020. That's up an impressive 48.6 percent from the same period a year earlier.
2. There are social risks to streaming video games
While streaming video games, gamers will often interact with strangers and other players through online chats. This social aspect is one of the more enjoyable parts of video-game streaming.

It can also be one of the more dangerous aspects for younger gamers. Video-game streaming sites are attractive targets for online scammers who might try to convince gullible players to surrender personal or financial information.
3. Viruses and malware thrive through online gaming
Video-game streaming comes with a host of technology-related risks.

The scammers that gamers meet while streaming have been known to send email messages — perhaps promising game tips or accessories for their players — that are embedded with viruses or malware. When your children open these messages and click on the attachments, they might inadvertently flood their computers or devices with malicious software.
4. Education is key to helping protect young gamers
Parents are vital in teaching their children how to help protect themselves from these scams.

Tell your kids to never provide personal information to anyone they meet online. This is probably the most important lesson parents can pass onto their children. Make sure your young gamers understand that not everyone who befriends them online has pure intentions. Many of the people they encounter may be criminals.
5. Setting limitations on access may provide an extra layer of protection
By setting up some reasonable limitations and rules for your children, you can help lessen the likelihood of them being scammed.

As an example, don’t give your children the ability to approve credit card purchases for in-game add-ons. Make sure that they know they must get your permission first to make these purchases.