Steam

Exploring apps, sites and games together is a great way to involve your child in the decision-making process.

Be positive about what you see, but also be open about your concerns. Ask them what they think is appropriate and what worries them.

If you decide it’s not appropriate, then make sure you explain your reasons why.

You might decide it’s ok for your child to use. If so, make sure you follow the tips below to ensure it’s as safe as possible. And work out a time when you’ll next discuss the app.

Help your child think about what they share online and who sees it. Compare it to what they would be happy to share offline.

You might want to start by asking:

• What kinds of things do you share online?
• Should we share everything?
• What shouldn’t we share?

Use examples that are easy for them to understand: “You wouldn’t give your number to somebody you don't know on the street. Is somebody online you don't know any different?”

Listen to their answers. And be positive and encouraging.

Remind them that they shouldn’t share private things, such as:

• personal information, like names, emails, phone numbers, location and school names
• other people's personal information
• links to join private group chats
• photos of themselves
• photos of their body, such as sexual photos or videos.

Explain that you understand the internet is a great place to play, create, learn and connect. But remind them they can talk to you if anything upsets or worries them.

Reassure them that you won’t overreact – you’re just looking out for them.

And if they feel like they can’t speak to you, tell them to talk to an adult they trust, like a teacher or Childline.

Steam has a parental controls feature, called Family View, that lets families choose what parts of the platform are accessible.

Family View allows you to select certain games to play, as well as restrict access to community-generated content, chat and forums.

Remember to explore Steam together so you can agree on what your child should see.  If you choose to use Family View, Steam has information on how to set it up.

It's important to check the privacy settings on your child's Steam account. As standard, basic details such as your profile and friends list are public but you can change the privacy settings so only your friends can see things like your profile, comments and friends list.

You can visit Steam for specific information on privacy settings.