FTC Offers Video Game Primer to Help Parents

If your kids play video games, the Federal Trade Commission, the nation's consumer protection agency, wants you to know there are resources to help you learn about the games and put limits on what your kids can access.

For example, depending upon whether kids play on a game console or a phone or tablet, parental controls can help you decide what games they can play, restrict them from inappropriate online chat, and prevent them from making online purchases. You also can read detailed descriptions of game content, and, for online-enabled games, you can learn about games that could expose players to chat that is not part of the game's rating.

To learn more, read the FTC's Kids, Parents, and Video Games.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC's online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics.  Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.