South Australia’s Children’s Commissioner backs online gaming as parents deal with the Fortnite effect

AS Fortnite explodes in popularity among younger gamers, their parents are being urged to embrace the online gaming community — to know what their kids are up to, and to see the positives.

Cousins Riley and Ethan Donato playing the latest craze video game, Fortnite Battle Royale. Picture: AAP / Brenton Edwards

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THE state’s chief advocate for young people has backed online gaming as a potentially positive and legitimate pastime for teenagers which their parents should embrace.

South Australia’s Commissioner for Children and Young People Helen Connolly made the call as Adelaide parents are having to threaten their kids off screens as the latest video game craze causes digital meltdowns among players as young as five.

She is calling for online gaming to be legitimised, arguing parents cannot warn their children of dangers if they don’t know what they are talking about.

The call comes as parents raise concerns about Fortnite Battle Royale, a burgeoning online game that has up to 100 players competing in a non-stop fight to the death.

Fortnite Battle Royale has become immensely popular since its launch in September last year.

Ms Connolly said online gaming had been embraced in SA with 98 per cent of homes with children having computer games.

“I have been completely blown away by the number of children and young people who have told me how important gaming is to them, not only as a recreation activity but as a connector to a social community,” she said. “From my conversations with children and young people on the meaning of gaming in their lives, I was naive to the positive aspects of gaming to our children and young people.

“Young people want more structured competitions and pathways to elite gaming and related gaming careers.

“They want schools and community groups to have gaming clubs like other sports clubs. We need to legitimise it is a community.”

Cyber safety experts and child psychologists are advising parents to set clear and consistent game-play rules and monitor their children’s use of Fortnite Battle Royale.

Ms Connolly acknowledged the concerns but stressed it was important for parents to understand exactly what their children are playing. “Prohibition isn’t a solution,” she said. “I would like to give kids the tools to understand when it is a problem for them.”

She said most young people she spoke to played sports-based games such as FIFA or fantasy games like League of Legends.

“And there are kids that are playing Grand Theft Auto,” she said. “There is violence in all sorts of things so I think yeah there are kids who would be playing violent games, but is it the majority? I don’t think so.”

“We just need to not always default to the negative and understand that for the majority of people doing it is a really positive experience.

“For the overwhelming majority of the young people I speak to, the positives and potential of gaming is immense.”

Ms Connolly said organisers of League of Legends Clubs and experts see huge benefits in organised competition in high schools. “They believe that by encouraging game play in the schools ‘club’ environment teachers can work with those kids that are disengaged and also teach everyone how to behave well online, in the hope that it will translate into their entire online world and into their offline world,” she said.

Fortnite craze driving parents insane

ADELAIDE parents are having to argue, cajole, bargain and threaten their kids off screens as the latest video game craze Fortnite causes digital meltdowns among children as young as five.

Cyber safety experts and child psychologists are advising parents to set clear and consistent game-play rules and monitor their children’s use of the online game Fortnite: Battle Royale which pits 100 players, mostly strangers, in a battle to the death challenge.

Adelaide child psychologist Kirrilie Smout said parents with children aged five and up playing Fortnite were most worried by the game’s addictive and violent nature. “Fortnite is definitely on our radar — particularly over the last few months,” she said

Ms Smout said many parents were asking for help to manage difficult behaviour from children refusing to hand over their gaming controls.

“It’s a game that is driving me insane because there is no pause button — so it becomes really hard to shut the screen down,” said Jo Donato, from Glynde.

Fortnite Battle Royale lets players drop on to an island and fight for weapons and resources until only one person or team remains.

The mum of two said Fortnite’s unpredictable end point made enforcing screen time-limits for her 13-year-old son Ethan much more difficult than before. Mrs Donato said parents needed to know who their children were playing with online and keep an eye and ear out for gaming behaviour.

“Make sure they know not to give out any personal information and you need to put limits on when and how often they play,” she said.

Cyber safety expert Jordan Foster said Fortnite was unlikely to impact on children who were not predisposed to aggressive behaviour, but that parents should be mindful of the game’s online chat component and monitor it.

The free game has a Pan European Game Information rating of 12+ years and is given an M rating by Australian retailers.

It has a player base of more than 45 million people worldwide and was released on the Apple mobile platform in March, making it not only portable but more accessible.

— Rebecca Digirolamo