A UK Police force has issued important advice to parents and guardians, following a concerning incident involving a 9-year-old boy.
Cheshire Police (Crewe Police) shared the following post on social media, and it has seen a huge response:
FORTNITE & YOUTUBE (PARENTS / GUARDIANS)
“We have recently spoken to a child who has been playing on Fortnite, and watching videos on Youtube, which often start as cooking videos and then get very violent.
“Playing games online is not an unusual occurrence for a lot of families locally. But at only 9 years old, this child was very confused on what is acceptable in real life, and what’s just in the game.
“It was very concerning that he did not understand that ending someone’s life on a game, was not the same as in real life.
“On games, characters get multiple lives and you can start the game again. In real life, this is not the case.
“For anyone who doesn’t know about the game Fortnite, the game is a competition to be the last one standing. This includes shooting, explosions and other violence.
“The game is rated ‘T’ for Teen, meaning it is rated as suitable for teenagers and above.
“Gaming is a popular activity for children of all ages to have fun, but there are some risks too.
“Having an activity to do together can be a great way to start talking about this topic.
“Use this link for tips on how to keep your child safe on games online! – https://orlo.uk/twthp
“The child that we have been working with is being supported for the content that he has seen both on videos online and off the game.
“Stay safe.”
