Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOG’s)

Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOG’s) often place huge numbers of gamers in a single environment (popular games have thousands of users online at any time). Some MMOGs are not games as much as virtual worlds. MMOG’s are usually subscription services and offer a consistent virtual ‘universe’ where the game continues whether or not any specific gamer is playing. Though many conversations are monitored by others in the game, profanity, harassment and bullying, grooming, other predatory interactions, and exposure to adult content may occur.

Be careful about what personal information you expose to other gamers, just as with any online interaction. Many sites offer points, tokens, extra lives, gifts, and currency you can trade or give to others. Gift giving in any of these forms can be a fun way to interact with friends and strangers, however this is also a tactic used by predators to befriend and groom victims. Pedophiles begin by ‘helping’ a child or teen with the game, giving tips on how to succeed, chatting and frequently giving gifts to gain their trust. Then the predator tries to engage in that next level of contact that takes them from the cyber world to the physical world, where the first physical world contact is typically via cell phone.

It is critical to teach young people how to appropriately interact and protect their personal information while gaming.