Dubai Police warns parents about online gaming risks and child safety

As our lives move increasingly online, new threats begin to emerge. Dubai Police, taking cognisance of the fact that young people are the most vulnerable to online predators, put out a warning on its social media channels.

In these tweets, it spoke of how online gaming connects players and allows people to make genuine connections while warning that not everyone has good intentions. “Some may try to gain a child’s trust, move the conversation to a private chat, or ask for personal information or photos,” it said.

Which is why it’s important to stay involved. “Talk to your child about who they interact with online and remind them to protect their personal information and avoid private chats with strangers,” it added.

Gaming platforms often allow players to connect with each other through chats and even voice/video calls. Some nefarious people may try to take advantage of a child’s innocence and indulge in grooming behaviour – i.e. a process through which an offender gains the trust of the vulnerable before manipulating them into making terrible choices and tricking them into a space of abuse.

“Talk to your child regularly about the people they interact with while playing, and explain to them the importance of not sharing their personal information or moving to a private conversation with someone they don’t actually know in real life,” suggests Dubai Police.