Safety While Online Gaming
Online games are one of the most popular hobbies that people like to engage themselves in after spending a stressful day at work or school.
Featured at GamePro, a recent study by NPD Group revealed that online gaming at present is rapidly growing, just as online gamers are exponentially rising. A related research by Next-Gen.biz also showed parallel findings wherein 62% of the over-all gamers participate in online games, 42% of which are females. Three years prior, the very same company released statistical figures positing 217 million online gamers from around the globe, who allot five to eight hours in the internet, playing.
“Online gaming is enjoyed by a diverse group of players,” said Anita Frazier, industry analyst, The NPD Group. “The sheer variety of content and ease of access makes online gaming attractive to a much larger demographic than what we typically see in retail.”
Posing great dangers to consumers, the rise in number of online games has attracted numerous culprits who intend to take advantage of the industry to pry on peoples lives or steal identities. The following are some helpful guidelines that Ive come up with to help gamers avoid finding themselves caught in a pickle.
Be careful on what you are clicking. Casual gaming online may seem harmless at first but that should not stop you from being vigilant at all times. As much as possible, stick to trustworthy online gaming websites for your own security.
Gamers should be extra careful when talking to people on sites that offer online chatting with other gamers. Although it is easy to get comfy with people who share the same interests as you do, remember that these are people that you dont really know. When being friendly with anyone on the site, always keep your moms wise words in mind Dont talk to strangers.
Social networking sites that host online games such as Facebook and Myspace present another form of danger that is harder to avoid. Games on these sites require players to give them permission to access the players online information before they are allowed to play. If you can help it, try to limit the information you provide these sites.
Naturally, it is easier to just click Agree and proceed to the game immediately. However, it will save you a lot of potential trouble if you do a little research on the developers of the games first to see to it that they are credible. Scums are also rampant. Be wary of them, too.
“Users are offered in-game currency if they sign up to receive a free learning CD from Video Professor. The user is told they pay nothing except a $10 shipping charge. But the fine print, on a different page from checkout, tells them they are really getting a whole set of CDs and will be billed $189.95 unless they return them, Michael Arrington of TechCrunch.com cautioned.
Making sure that youre dealing with a reputable company is no Herculean task. Take the time learn more about different companies. Youll never know when you, or someone you know, might fall victim to some of the industrys most cunning scammers.