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Can a Multiplayer Online Game Create a Secure Environment for Children?
Imagine walking down a street and meeting someone who at that same very moment lives in another town...another state...or even across the world. Think it can't happen? Think again. It happens every day in MMORPGs, or massively multiplayer online role-playing games, as they are called. Hundreds of thousands of people from anywhere in the world can sign into an online game, create their own individual character, and "exist" together in a virtual world among other created virtual characters...all from the power of an Internet connection.
The themes for these online games vary, but many contain the simple goal of advancing your character to the next level. Many online games today involve fighting and killing, much to the dismay of parents. "There's enough of that in the real world," says a concerned mom. "Why would I want my child to play a game that involves something I am against?" Many parents want games that they can trust...that they can depend on. As parents, most of us just want an online game for our children that has a sense of a secure community.
The majority of online games not geared directly toward children usually allow free speech. Young children should not be playing these particular online games, and many of them are not appropriate for teenagers as well. Parents need to use their own judgement to decide whether an online game is right for their child. The best scenario would be to create your own virtual character first, then you'd be able to view the game as your child would. Or, you could sit next to your child while they play. Watch how your child interacts with others, and how others interact with them. You can learn enough about the game this way, to decide whether you feel it's right for your child. If you can play on another computer at the same time as your child, this would not only let you view the game with your child, it's another fun way to spend time together. Games with no speech moderation are not child-oriented. In other words, you'd be allowing someone you don't know to say anything to your child. Keep in mind, that this other person also doesn't know that your child is really a child. It's actually best that they don't, anyway. There are many safety rules that children need to follow when they're playing an online game, and parents should review these important reminders each time their child wants to play online.
Basically the rules for online games are the same exact rules that children should be following for safety on the Internet. Children should never give out any personal information -- no names, addresses, or phone numbers. No telling what city they live in, which school they go to, or even what grade they're in. All this is personal information, and children should not be sharing it online with people they do not know. There are too many news stories about children who have given out their personal information online, and all of them contained a lesson for that child. Time and time again there are stories of children who give out the smallest bit of information to others online. Don't make the mistake of thinking that your children are safe in your own home. Once they go online, whether it be on the Internet or an online game they play with others, they open a door to your home. The only way to keep anyone out, is to prevent them from giving out personal information. It's easy to forget about safety when you're at home and your child is two feet away from you on the computer. Children who give out any bit of personal information to others online, leave themselves open to many of the dangers that we see in the real world -- stalking, kidnapping, identity theft, or worse. Parents should know that in any online game, you cannot know for sure if someone is telling you the truth. Being a parent who is informed and aware is the best way to keep your child safe while playing an online game with others. You, and you alone, are your child's best defense against the dark side of the online world.
Another way to help keep your child secure in an online multiplayer game, is to find the "perfect" game. One such game that we have had the pleasure of playing is Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom, or VMK as it is known. VMK, a free multiplayer game offered by Disney, went online in 2005. If you were unable to get to any of the real Disney Resorts, this game would bring you right to the park...in the virtual world. Created for preteens and teens, this game quickly gained popularity among Disney fans of all ages, and even reached 250,000 players. Words are constantly being reviewed for inclusion in the limited in-game dictionary. Speech is always moderated by staff, and the game is only open hours where staff could be on hand to help. Parents could play with their children in the same house, families separated by divorce, the military, or for other reasons, could now join their child in the most magical place on earth. VMK truly held the power to make everything ok in a child's world, no matter what was happening in their real lives. To certain children with health-related issues, VMK was a way to do things they weren't able to do in real life. For children and adults alike, VMK allowed them to feel as if they were actually at Disneyland or Walt Disney World. VMK is not just a game to the thousands of adults and children who continue to play, even though Disney has decided to close the doors on their virtual kingdom this month. If there was one game that held the promise to help keep your child safe, this was it. What started out as just a game, quickly grew beyond belief into a community of caring individuals who all had the same love in common -- the love of Disney. Where else could you find a statue of Walt and Mickey in a game? Where else could you walk down Main Street, or watch fireworks light up the sky, or get your thrill of pirates? What other game allowed children and adults to go beyond their every day creativity...building rooms that expressed their dreams? What other game gave you the chance to meet with other Disney lovers across the world? What other game held the promise of a magic that would never die? What other game has friendly staff reviewing every word that you speak from a pre-defined dictionary, to make sure your child is as safe as can be? What other game?
As far as we know, there is no other game. No game could give players what VMK has given them -- the chance to form a solid, interactive, caring community. Everyone was brought together by just one theme -- the love of Disney. In the past three years, people from all over the world formed close friendships. But unfortunately, Disney has labeled VMK as just a "promotion," as part of the Disneyland 50th Anniversary Celebration that has lasted longer than planned. VMK will be closing its doors forever on May 21, 2008, and will be only a memory. Since VMK was a secure environment for children to play in, there is no way for friends to contact each other outside of the game. Friends who have "seen" each other in the game for the past three years, will just be lost. As parents, we do wish that Disney would realize what they are holding right in the palm of their hands. It made perfect sense to have a Virtual Magic Kingdom. What doesn't make sense, is to tear that kingdom down. Because the magic cannot just be brought to other games...it just doesn't exist anywhere else.
So, when you're searching for a secure online multiplayer game for your children, do your homework first. Review safety tips with your children, and if possible, get involved in the game. Let your child know that you will always be there for them. If they ever encounter any problems, they should tell you immediately. Keeping an honest, open communication with your child is most important for their safety. But don't forget to have fun!
If you are interested in helping to save Disney's online multiplayer game, VMK, there are a few campaigns on the Internet where you can find information:
Below are some books that discuss children and online games. Use Amazon.com's secure server to order:
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