There are more options to play games online than ever before. Perhaps you only game from time to time, or do so with your family, but it’s hard to deny that the interconnectedness of modern methods can be appealing. It might just be playing smartphone Scrabble with a friend in turns, enjoying a video game through cooperative means, or playing solo online and showcasing your skill. No matter what you enjoy, there’s likely a market being served for it.
But of course, anything that involves the internet is worth considering in advance. This is because if you’re not careful, it’s possible to expose your data or encounter harm online if you’re not careful. For example, if you fail to set parental controls on your game console, your child might encounter mature topics, content, or other users when online.
In this post, we’ll discuss three general principles you can use to stay safe when gaming online. This should hopefully counter most of the threats you could experience.
Consider Your Username & Profile Carefully
It’s essential to realize that any information you voluntarily give about yourself, especially in an online setting, might reveal who you are. So using your full name as a gamer username is rarely a good idea. But it’s also worthwhile to consider your account name – for example, if your account name on Steam is the same as on your email address, that might inadvertently give away personal info. You can also set up privacy settings on your profile so that only friends, not necessarily friends of friends or the public, can see your activity and other essential identifiers.
Be Mindful Of Your Saved Payment Settings
It’s worthwhile to use sites that allow for approved payment settings, as even PayPal slots are providing secure payment options for online gaming venues now. That being said, it’s important to be mindful of which card information or email addresses are tied to payment accounts you have saved. It’s sometimes better to just enter the information anew each time if you rarely make purchases. This can prevent a child from accidentally charging your account or a compromised account from leaking your financial info. Use your discretion, and consider the level of vulnerability you’re okay with.
Only Download Games from Trusted Sources
It’s helpful to only download games from trusted sources that you have faith in. On consoles, this might be obvious, but PC gaming can sometimes be less secure. Use mainline storefronts like Steam, Epic, GOG, and more, and try to stay away from third-party retailers or even pirate sites that could cause you to download malware. Thankfully, many inbuilt launchers are packaged within the more official storefronts, so if a link ever redirects and tells you to download a third-party option from an unproven website, make sure to avoid that. This way, you can prevent malicious software from gaining access to your computer and even taking over your accounts.
With this advice, you’ll be certain to stay safe when gaming online, and teaching your kids to follow suit is also a good idea.
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