Xbox is committed to promoting a safe and secure online environment for all users. With the internet playing a critical role in how people connect, learn, and entertain themselves, the importance of online safety cannot be overstated. To mark the 20th annual Safer Internet Day on February 7, Xbox is reiterating its commitment to creating an online world where users can enjoy themselves within the boundaries they set for themselves.
In recognition of Safer Internet Day, Xbox is taking several steps to promote online safety. To shed light on its evolving approach to safety, a representative from Xbox recently sat down with Jeff Rubenstein from the Xbox Podcast to discuss how players, parents, and caregivers of all ages can use Xbox’s resources to tailor their online safety preferences. This representative has a unique perspective, as they are not only a parent and an Xbox employee, but also a player and customer. This multi-faceted experience has given them a firsthand understanding of how gaming can facilitate open discussions about online safety, screen time, and budgeting habits between parents, children, and caregivers.
At Xbox, our Trust and Safety team is responsible for helping players and families have peace of mind while gaming on Xbox. We take a multi-faceted approach to safety, privacy and community health that focuses on empowering parents, children and caregivers with the tools and education to have safer gaming experiences for the whole family. We design these resources with choice in mind, with the understanding that safety is a priority not only for Xbox but many families as well. We’ve created family-friendly resources, such as our Xbox Family Hub, as a one-stop shop for information about Xbox safety and privacy, the Xbox Data Collection for Kids website to teach kids about Xbox privacy, and we have well-established Community Standards and guidelines so players understand what types of interactions are acceptable and not acceptable on our platform.
New Privacy Prodigy Game from Minecraft Education
Families and educators around the world are constantly looking for ways to help young people stay safe in the digital world where they play, learn, and build meaningful relationships. At Xbox, we know that a fun way to engage is through creative learning environments.
Today we’re launching a new immersive game-based learning experience called Privacy Prodigy, which is a continuation of the CyberSafe series from Minecraft Education, which includes last year’s Home Sweet Hmm. Privacy Prodigy is designed to help players from ages 7-18 learn how to keep their personal data safe when they’re out in the world, whether that’s learning how to keep data protected in public places or where to store data. Each challenge is constructed to help students and their parents learn how to make more informed decisions about who should access their personal data and why.
This single-player experience introduces young people to the concept of areas of trust. They’ll develop the ability to identify the different types of information they need to manage and what they can share. Players will also learn strategies for protecting their personal data and ways to mitigate any issues that arise from compromised information.
Privacy Prodigy is available in the Minecraft Education lesson library. If your students, friends, family (or you!) play the Bedrock version of Minecraft at home, access Privacy Prodigy for free in the Minecraft Marketplace.
Keep Gaming Conversations Safe & Fun
Online communities are not just about staying safe, they are also about having fun and connecting with friends and players. In the world of online gaming, players often exchange various forms of content, such as gifs, emojis, or a “GG” (good game) to signal a well-played game. However, with players located globally, certain emojis, messages, and slang terms can have different interpretations due to cultural and regional differences. To ensure a safe gaming experience, Xbox uses content moderation tools to distinguish between harmless “gaming lingo” and potentially harmful content.
To help keep gaming conversations safe and fun, Xbox scans over 18 billion interactions per year with Community Sift, a moderation platform that has a team of language and culture specialists who understand more than 20 formal and informal languages, in addition to cultural and regional idioms.
Safer Xbox Gaming Tips for Parents & Players
1. Check-in and play with your child on a regular basis
Maintain an open dialogue with kids about safe online gaming, and join in. Playing together is a great way to have an interactive conversation, while better understanding the types of games they’re playing, who they’re playing with, and what online scenarios you should be discussing.
2. Create a family group and child accounts for your family
If you haven’t yet created a family group and child account for your family, it’s simple and quick. The account is age-specific and parents can get notifications related to the activity. When added to a family group, parents and caregivers can easily personalize each child’s online experience based on age-appropriate limits, such as privacy, content filters, and online purchases.
3. Customize your settings using the Xbox Family Settings app
Free to download for iOS and Android devices, you can set screen time, gain insight into gaming activity through reports, manage your child’s spending, review friend requests, and plenty more from the convenience of your phone. Learn about how the Xbox Family Settings App works here via a handy video, and download it when you’re ready
4. Visit xbox.com/family for even more information about families
Head to the Xbox Family Hub to learn more about what Xbox offers for families, from information about privacy and access to privacy tools, the Xbox Family Settings app, and the Xbox Community Standards.