Police reminding families to be cautious about online games, players

Bonnyville RCMP are reporting another case of someone online communicating inappropriately with a child when playing a video game.

On February 13th, a concerned Bonnyville parent reported that her child had experienced inappropriate behaviour while playing an online game called Roblox – MeepCity.

Police are reminding parents and families to be cautious when allowing children to play online games, as many games allow for communication between players, both through text and voice chats.

On Jan. 31, RCMP revealed they were working the Integrated Child Exploitation Unit in Edmonton after a concerned mother told police that someone attempted to lure their child to turn on their PS4 webcam.

RCMP advise checking the settings of a game or gaming system before allowing a child to play an online game, which could help prevent or limit contact with unknown players.

Talking with children about the importance of reporting unwanted behaviour to parents is also critical, they said.

Many online games have a reporting feature built-in, so players can report unwanted behaviour directly to the game.