By Greg Mellen, Behind the Badge
To say online gaming is ever-present seems to be an understatement. According to the Entertainment Software Association, 227 million Americans play video games. Worldwide, an estimated 2.7 billion people are gamers. In 2019, video gaming was a $59 billion industry, boosted in large part by children and teens, who were confined to their homes during the pandemic.
Wherever games go, kids are sure to follow, and wherever they go, there are dangerous pied pipers in the weeds seeking to take advantage.
To combat these dangers, groups like SafeOC have released guidelines for parents to combat the dangers of online gaming.
SafeOC is a localized version of the Department of Home Security’s national “If You See Something, Say Something” anti-terrorism public awareness campaign, founded on belief that an alert public plays a key role in keeping Orange County safe.
Donna Rice Hughes, an internet safety advocate and President and CEO of Enough Is Enough has made something of a mantra out of the saying, “predators prey where kids play.”