Between the ages of 12 and 17, Sean Russell spent thousands of hours playing online video games such as Halo, Call of Duty, and Battlefield, often competing with or against strangers. This experience, which included forming friendships with other players met online, is typical of many young gamers, according to a recent report by Ofcom examining children’s relationships with gaming in the UK.
The report reveals that 64 percent of parents and carers of children aged 3 to 17 are most concerned about their children interacting with strangers while gaming, a worry that surpasses fears about bullying, exposure to inappropriate content, or pressure to make in-game purchases. Despite these concerns, 55 percent of children in this age group regularly play online games with people they do not know.
Russell describes a mostly positive experience during his gaming years but recalls one unsettling encounter at age 14 while playing Forza Motorsport 2. After winning a race, he accepted a friend request from a random player, who later revealed himself as a 30-year-old adult from Saudi Arabia. The adult persistently invited Russell to play together, sometimes even during family meal times, causing discomfort. Although the interaction never escalated to overt misconduct, Russell chose to block the player and did not report the incident, viewing the stranger simply as an “odd guy on the internet.” He notes this was his only negative experience across thousands of hours spent gaming.
The Ofcom report highlights that 88 percent of children aged 3 to 17 play games on some type of device, but many parents may be unaware of existing safety measures. Tools like child and teen accounts, family settings, disabling chat functions, blocking, and muting players are available and straightforward to implement. However, only 43 percent of parents have set controls restricting whom their child can play with, while over half impose time limits instead.
Concerns related to content exposure are also reflected in anecdotal evidence. For instance, an eight-year-old child reportedly used the phrase “What the sigma!?”—a term derived from online gender-related communities—after playing Roblox, a platform frequently accessed by children aged 8 to 14. While Roblox offers creative game-building features, it also functions as a social environment where users can communicate through text or voice. This openness has led to documented cases of grooming and inappropriate behavior. In April, a man was sentenced to prison for grooming a 14-year-old girl on Roblox and coercing her into sending explicit images. Roblox representatives expressed their commitment to implementing safeguards to prevent such incidents.
The debate around online gaming underscores the need for vigilance, parental involvement, and education about online risks. While the virtual nature of gaming presents unique challenges, experts emphasize applying the same principles of “stranger danger” that are taught in real life: encouraging children to be cautious about unsolicited friend requests and interactions with unknown players.