On Twitch, users can watch others livestream as they play games, providing commentary throughout. Coupled with a robust chat system that allows streamers to interact with those watching, Twitch can be a magnetic platform for gamers of all ages. Teens frequently visit Twitch to watch their favorite games being played, chat with other fans, and discuss events in real time. If your kids love games, odds are they have shown an interest in Twitch, and you’ll want to make sure they know how to use the platform safely and appropriately.

What Is Twitch?

From the platform’s website, “Twitch is where millions of people come together live every day to chat, interact, and make their own entertainment together.” Using Twitch, streamers (creators that record and post videos live) entertain their followers with the latest games and gameplay videos. If you’re not familiar, think of it like YouTube, but all of the content is live, as opposed to prerecorded.

More recently, Twitch has grown beyond video games and hosts streamers for other topics, from politics to travel and even cooking. For example, the most popular non-gaming topic is “Just Chatting”, where streamers will speak with their audience through chat or other voice services (like Discord).

Can My Kids Communicate with Others via Twitch?

Twitch is, at its core, a social platform. Streamers can DM (direct message) fans, and fans can interact with each other via the built-in chat function. Many popular streamers make their own community guidelines for their streams and hire/choose “chat moderators” to discipline users that are behaving inappropriately.

There are options to hide chat for personal interactions, but if the function is not activated strangers can privately message other users.

Users can also obtain “channel points”, which can be used for streamer-specific actions (such as highlighting their chat message during a stream or even asking the streamer to do a certain action like checking chair posture or modifying the current game in some sort of way). These channel points are earned by staying in the stream, chatting every so often, and purchasing subscriptions during the stream’s duration (more on this later).

There are options to hide chat for personal interactions, but if the function is not activated strangers can privately message other users during streams by using a direct message function. Twitch does not offer the ability to disable chat during streams, so you can assume that your kids will have some exposure to other users – be it active or passive. Some streamers cultivate heavily moderated chats that promote safety, but unsolicited private messages can still occur in this space.

Does Twitch Cost Money?

Twitch is free, but there are options to spend money. While many streams are ad-supported, streamers often also accept donations from their community, enabling some creators to make Twitch their full-time job.

Twitch does not have any built-in parental controls for spending.

There are a few functions that may require payment for access. For Twitch partners and affiliates (streamers with a sizable audience and approved through Twitch’s vetting process), users can purchase subscriptions, and streamers will take a portion of those profits. Some streamers also enable donation tools like Streamlabs, Patreon, Kofi, and PayPal, where users can send money to their favorite personalities – almost like a tip jar.

For those that have Amazon Prime, there also are free bonuses, such as a free monthly subscription to a Twitch streamer and perks for other games. (Twitch is owned by Amazon.) This requires that your kids’ Twitch account be linked to an Amazon Prime account.

Twitch does not have any built-in parental controls for spending so it’s important to discuss this with your kids and enforce household rules about how much, if any, money can be spent.

How to Manage My Kids’ Twitch Activity?

As mentioned, Twitch does not have the kind of parental controls you may expect from video game consoles and other devices, but there are some built-in measures you can take to help manage what your kids are exposed to.

Children 13 or older are allowed to create an account under parental supervision.

Keep in mind that Twitch streams can be watched without an account. If you’re not logged in you cannot participate in chat, but chat is still visible, meaning the potentially mature content in a chat is visible. However, with an account users can turn off the direct message function entirely, as well as block or report users that are behaving inappropriately.

According to Twitch’s Terms of Service, children 13 or older are allowed to create an account under parental supervision. Should a child under the age of 13 create an account, parents can email the site to have the account deleted after providing relevant information to confirm that your child has breached their terms of service.

Is There Inappropriate Content on Twitch?

Like many social sites, there can be inappropriate content on Twitch. Strictly adult content, such as anything explicitly sexual, is not allowed according to Twitch’s terms of service. However, as a variety of games can be streamed on Twitch, including games that are rated M for Mature, your kids could encounter content that that you may consider inappropriate. Note that Twitch prohibits streams for games rated AO (Adults Only).

Some popular streamers may use strong language (though not considered a breach of the terms of service) that some parents may find objectionable.

Streamers are not required to flag these M-rated games before playing, or proactively warn their community about coarse language, so it’s helpful to keep an open conversation about who your kids are watching on Twitch, what their favorite streamers are playing, and more. No one knows your kids better than you, so while some parents may be OK with what their kids are watching, it’s always a good idea to vet your kids’ favorite streamers to see how they behave.

Talking to Your Kids About Twitch

Parents and caregivers should nurture an open and ongoing dialogue with their kids about the content they consume online – including Twitch streams. It’s important to understand your kids’ favorite streamers and why they like them so much so you can gain a better understanding of what your kids may be exposed to. No matter where your kids are watching – be it on a family computer or a personal device – some parental controls are likely available to help manage what your kids are watching, when, and for how long.

With this information you can take some time to watch streams yourself to see why your kids are drawn to these personalities. In some cases, you may find that the content created by your kids’ favorite personalities are not quite appropriate, leaving the door open to a conversation about what is and is not permitted. However, it’s just as likely that you’re entertained by it, too and may even turn it into a regular family activity!

Patricia E. Vance is the president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). In her position, she leads the teams responsible for assigning age and content ratings to video games and apps, enforcing marketing guidelines adopted by the video game industry, and operating ESRB Privacy Certified, an FTC-approved COPPA Safe Harbor Privacy seal certification program.

The post What Parents Need to Know About Twitch appeared first on ESRB Ratings.

On Twitch, users can watch others livestream as they play games, providing commentary throughout. Coupled with a robust chat system that allows streamers to interact with those watching, Twitch can be a magnetic platform for gamers of all ages. Teens frequently visit Twitch to watch their favorite games being played, chat with other fans, and discuss events in real time. If your kids love games, odds are they have shown an interest in Twitch, and you’ll want to make sure they know how to use the platform safely and appropriately.

What Is Twitch?

From the platform’s website, “Twitch is where millions of people come together live every day to chat, interact, and make their own entertainment together.” Using Twitch, streamers (creators that record and post videos live) entertain their followers with the latest games and gameplay videos. If you’re not familiar, think of it like YouTube, but all of the content is live, as opposed to prerecorded.

More recently, Twitch has grown beyond video games and hosts streamers for other topics, from politics to travel and even cooking. For example, the most popular non-gaming topic is “Just Chatting”, where streamers will speak with their audience through chat or other voice services (like Discord).

Can My Kids Communicate with Others via Twitch?

Twitch is, at its core, a social platform. Streamers can DM (direct message) fans, and fans can interact with each other via the built-in chat function. Many popular streamers make their own community guidelines for their streams and hire/choose “chat moderators” to discipline users that are behaving inappropriately.

There are options to hide chat for personal interactions, but if the function is not activated strangers can privately message other users.

Users can also obtain “channel points”, which can be used for streamer-specific actions (such as highlighting their chat message during a stream or even asking the streamer to do a certain action like checking chair posture or modifying the current game in some sort of way). These channel points are earned by staying in the stream, chatting every so often, and purchasing subscriptions during the stream’s duration (more on this later).

There are options to hide chat for personal interactions, but if the function is not activated strangers can privately message other users during streams by using a direct message function. Twitch does not offer the ability to disable chat during streams, so you can assume that your kids will have some exposure to other users – be it active or passive. Some streamers cultivate heavily moderated chats that promote safety, but unsolicited private messages can still occur in this space.

Does Twitch Cost Money?

Twitch is free, but there are options to spend money. While many streams are ad-supported, streamers often also accept donations from their community, enabling some creators to make Twitch their full-time job.

Twitch does not have any built-in parental controls for spending.

There are a few functions that may require payment for access. For Twitch partners and affiliates (streamers with a sizable audience and approved through Twitch’s vetting process), users can purchase subscriptions, and streamers will take a portion of those profits. Some streamers also enable donation tools like Streamlabs, Patreon, Kofi, and PayPal, where users can send money to their favorite personalities – almost like a tip jar.

For those that have Amazon Prime, there also are free bonuses, such as a free monthly subscription to a Twitch streamer and perks for other games. (Twitch is owned by Amazon.) This requires that your kids’ Twitch account be linked to an Amazon Prime account.

Twitch does not have any built-in parental controls for spending so it’s important to discuss this with your kids and enforce household rules about how much, if any, money can be spent.

How to Manage My Kids’ Twitch Activity?

As mentioned, Twitch does not have the kind of parental controls you may expect from video game consoles and other devices, but there are some built-in measures you can take to help manage what your kids are exposed to.

Children 13 or older are allowed to create an account under parental supervision.

Keep in mind that Twitch streams can be watched without an account. If you’re not logged in you cannot participate in chat, but chat is still visible, meaning the potentially mature content in a chat is visible. However, with an account users can turn off the direct message function entirely, as well as block or report users that are behaving inappropriately.

According to Twitch’s Terms of Service, children 13 or older are allowed to create an account under parental supervision. Should a child under the age of 13 create an account, parents can email the site to have the account deleted after providing relevant information to confirm that your child has breached their terms of service.

Is There Inappropriate Content on Twitch?

Like many social sites, there can be inappropriate content on Twitch. Strictly adult content, such as anything explicitly sexual, is not allowed according to Twitch’s terms of service. However, as a variety of games can be streamed on Twitch, including games that are rated M for Mature, your kids could encounter content that that you may consider inappropriate. Note that Twitch prohibits streams for games rated AO (Adults Only).

Some popular streamers may use strong language (though not considered a breach of the terms of service) that some parents may find objectionable.

Streamers are not required to flag these M-rated games before playing, or proactively warn their community about coarse language, so it’s helpful to keep an open conversation about who your kids are watching on Twitch, what their favorite streamers are playing, and more. No one knows your kids better than you, so while some parents may be OK with what their kids are watching, it’s always a good idea to vet your kids’ favorite streamers to see how they behave.

Talking to Your Kids About Twitch

Parents and caregivers should nurture an open and ongoing dialogue with their kids about the content they consume online – including Twitch streams. It’s important to understand your kids’ favorite streamers and why they like them so much so you can gain a better understanding of what your kids may be exposed to. No matter where your kids are watching – be it on a family computer or a personal device – some parental controls are likely available to help manage what your kids are watching, when, and for how long.

With this information you can take some time to watch streams yourself to see why your kids are drawn to these personalities. In some cases, you may find that the content created by your kids’ favorite personalities are not quite appropriate, leaving the door open to a conversation about what is and is not permitted. However, it’s just as likely that you’re entertained by it, too and may even turn it into a regular family activity!

Patricia E. Vance is the president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). In her position, she leads the teams responsible for assigning age and content ratings to video games and apps, enforcing marketing guidelines adopted by the video game industry, and operating ESRB Privacy Certified, an FTC-approved COPPA Safe Harbor Privacy seal certification program.

The post What Parents Need to Know About Twitch appeared first on ESRB Ratings.

I’ll admit that it took me some time to get acclimated to it, and that’s coming from someone who grew up gaming. I mean, it wouldn’t have passed as gripping entertainment when we were kids… right? One of the things that sets video games apart from other types of media for me is the unique interaction you simply don’t get from reading a book or watching a film. My connection to a story is rarely greater than when I experience it with a controller in my hand, making the decisions, choosing my pathways, being part of that story. I couldn’t understand the attraction of watching someone else experience something I could do firsthand.

Turns out I was wrong!

Where Can Kids Watch Streamers

There are various ways to view streams, but for the most part, your little ones will probably access them via websites like Twitch, YouTube Gaming, Facebook, and even Tik Tok. Signing up is usually free and accessible from a wide range of devices, from phones and tablets, to laptops, PCs, and video game consoles like PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

To access these platforms, though, users need to be aged 13 or older to have and/or manage their own account, so it’s up to you to decide if it’s okay for them to have one under your watchful eye.

The Great Side of Streaming

Streaming gives kids an incredible window into the scope and magic of video games. These streams – which are broadcast live from the streamers’ own homes or offices – enables the audience to experience games in a way they might not ever be able to otherwise.

To access these platforms, though, users need to be aged 13 or older to have and/or manage their own account.

Children can watch streams to get tips and ideas on how to be better at their favorite titles – particularly highly creative ones like Minecraft (Everyone 10+) – as well as seek out solutions and support should they be stuck on a particularly difficult level. Streaming can also let them experience games they might not be able to afford or titles that have only been released on consoles they don’t own.

Fair warning: It also gives them access to games that you may have repeatedly told them they are not allowed to play!

A big difference between watching cut and edited videos on YouTube and viewing a stream is its immediacy. Kids have instant and real-time access to their favorite streamer personalities – many of whom build a community of fans and gamers. They are able to leave comments in the chat and interact with hundreds of fans dedicated to their favorite games and gamers. This obviously cuts both ways.

Being part of a community like that can be incredibly exciting. You can expose kids to many different views and introduce them to friends they never would have known otherwise. That said, anyone can sign up to participate in streams, and the things that make it so easy to engage, such as its accessibility and low cost, can also make it ripe for abuse.

Creating a Safe Streaming Experience

Trolls – the collective term given to people online who intentionally act in a harmful or malicious way – can sign up for these platforms just as easily as our kids (providing you’ve given them permission, of course), and it’s important to empower your kids with strategies for how to deal with that. While many of the bigger, more established streamers have a team of people monitoring the community chat to ensure content is friendly and the language is squeaky clean, smaller streamers may not have anyone to help them do this, which can lead to less family-friendly remarks slipping through the net.

Don’t panic! Like most things, all you need is an open mind, a pragmatic approach, and the willingness to talk and listen to your kids. There are also a whole host of tools to help you keep your children safe.

A great first step is to familiarize yourself and your kids with a platform’s Terms of Service. These are the long blocks of text written in legalese that pop up when you install a new app – or sign up for a service – for the first time. It outlines what is and is not permitted on the platform and in just about every case, the Terms of Service will outline age requirements (typically 13 years or older) as well as the kind of behavior that can get someone kicked off a platform. This can include inappropriate language or bullying, as there’s a clear difference between friendly, clean trash talk and hateful communications. For the latter, it’s helpful to show your kids how to use the reporting systems. Most streaming platforms have these as      standard now, and knowing how they work can be the difference between a handful of vulnerable people seeing inappropriate content, and hundreds (or thousands!) seeing it.

And if your child decides to stream themselves… well, the internet’s not always a kind place, is it? People can be targeted for so many ridiculous, petty reasons, and never is this more apparent than online. Many adults are not ready for the cyberbullying and abuse that comes with a little internet fame, let alone our kids, and because things are broadcast live, it’s critical to remember that there is no option to edit out mistakes. If someone accidentally reveals their location, what school they go to, or any other piece of personal information, there’s no way of walking that back.

If your child is interested in conducting their own streams it can be monumentally helpful to sit down with them before they kick off their new channel and discuss what they can do to avoid just these kinds of scenarios. People will not always be kind, and you should empower your kids to come to you when they’re feeling bullied or threatened, so you can tackle the issue together and put measures in place to mitigate it in the future.

Getting Involved

It’s not just the conduct of the streamers themselves you need to be mindful of, either – the games they play also need to be monitored. Streamers don’t always indicate on their videos if they’re playing a more restrictively rated game, and there are no strict obstacles, either. All our kids have to do to gain access to potentially inappropriate content is check a box to say they “accept” that a stream contains mature content. This can be problematic, especially if a young person thinks they’re ready to watch a game with mature themes. That’s where we, as parents, come in.

Most streamers keep an archive of their past streams on their channels, so if you’re unsure of their suitability, it might be worth grabbing a glass of your favorite beverage, finding a quiet spot when the little ‘uns are in bed, and watching for yourself. They could turn out to be the world’s most wholesome streamer – hurray! – or you could discover that they’re wholly unsuitable for your kids. If it’s the latter – well, at least by watching it, you’ll have a definite idea of their content, and you can clearly and objectively explain to your child why the streamer’s content is not appropriate (yet). Maybe you can even find another streamer who covers the same kinds of games but without the sweary commentary!

An elephant in the room: There’s also the risk of online predators, who have been known to intentionally prowl livestreams that are particularly interesting to children and young people. This is another scenario where empowering your kids to have open communication with you is key. They should never feel embarrassed or worried about coming to you – especially if they end up in a clearly unsafe situation. It’s worth clarifying that while these instances are pretty uncommon, knowing what to do just in case can put your mind at ease. And don’t forget, not only should you report the individual to the platform concerned, in particularly threatening cases you and your children should contact your local authorities, too.

Fortunately, the industry has made incredible strides in monitoring bad actors and removing them from services before they become issues. Still, it’s important to be aware of (and plan for) worst-case scenarios.

Staying involved

Most of all, it’s important to stay involved. Some parents may trust their kids’ judgment while keeping a careful eye from a distance. Meanwhile, others may only permit their children to watch streams when they’re in the same room. Maybe you can find a channel that you can watch together (you might even learn new skills yourself and amaze your friends and family at the next game night)! There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, and it’s up to you to find what works best for your family.

Remind your kids that you trust them and you’ll always have their back and that it’s okay to talk to you about streaming – the good and the bad. That way you know that your kids are informed about what is and is not acceptable online behavior and your little gamer can still enjoy their pre-approved channels, safe in the knowledge that they can come to you if anything ever goes wrong.

It took 15 years of civil service monotony for Vikki to crack and switch to writing about games. She has since become an experienced reporter and critic working with a number of outlets in both the UK and beyond, including Eurogamer, GamesRadar+, MTV, NME, and Variety. She’s a Guardian, a Spartan, and a survival horror survivalist. Her k/d ratio is shameful.

The post What Parents Need to Know About Video Game Streaming appeared first on ESRB Ratings.