It’s important to try and get the most out of your online gaming, but at the same time, there are plenty of dangers online that you wouldn’t want to ignore. With that being said, in order to enjoy your online gaming, you want to strike that balance of having fun while playing safe.
From trusting your gut when navigating a website for the first time to taking on more strict security measures when it comes to your own personal information. Here are some helpful tips to get the most out of your online gaming experience while playing safely.
Pick strong passwords for your logins
When it comes to online gaming, there will be some sites where you can set up your own profile, which means creating a login.
While it might not be necessary to have a profile for gaming on the site, it can be helpful when you want to save progress on games.
Strong passwords are definitely something to practice, especially when it comes to setting up multiple logins on various gaming platforms. When you’re selecting strong passwords, you should consider what you can remember and what might be something you do similarly to another login.
However, you don’t want to pick passwords that are the same for every account you set up. That makes it more of a risk for your security, and ultimately, if a person ends up hacking into one account, it won’t be long until they get into the rest of them.
Be wary of websites and check for legitimacy
The legitimacy of a website is something to be wary of, especially when it comes to online gaming sites. There are a lot more gaming websites online than ever before and websites in general.
That’s why you want to be even more vigilant on what websites you go on and which ones you trust with playing and setting up an account if you’re spending money for example.
It’s easier now to find out whether a site can be trusted or not simply by doing a Google search and looking for reviews from other users.
At the end of the day, though, the best thing to trust when it comes to going on a website for the first time is your gut. Trusting your gut is the best way of ensuring your online gaming goes well and is enjoyable.
A site to play poker or solitaire like this one is one that you can trust, more so because it’s rated so highly by other players online.
Don’t share personal information with anyone
Personal information is something that should be, for the most part, private to you. Of course, there are businesses online that you’d share your information with for the purpose of delivery or setting up an account, for example.
However, you should be mindful of the website’s legitimacy and who you’re interacting with on the site. The wonderful thing about online gaming is that there is a great community to interact with. You can make friends online without ever meeting anyone, but at the same time, the people you meet might not always be the people you think they are.
After all, anyone can be anyone online, which is why you want be vigilant about who you interact with and what information you’re sharing with them. You should not send any private information like your address or phone number, for example, online. Not to mention your financial information, of course.
Look for two-factor authentication where applicable
Another security benefit that might be worth exploring is two-factor authentication. This is a great way of securing your online gaming where possible.
With two-factor authentication, it’s simply adding an extra layer of security to your account so that if someone does have your password, they’ll also need your mobile phone or email account to gain access.
This can be a big relief for those who have almost been compromised and could have been, had they not had that two-factor authentication in place. Not every site offers it, so it’s worth looking out for this feature when it comes to online gaming.
Be sure to look through two-factor authentication so that you can understand exactly how to use it and how to get the most out of it from a security standpoint.
Only download games from reputable sites
While some games are available to play directly online within the browser, others might be downloadable.
Downloadable games are often required for those who want to have a more elevated experience if the game itself needs to be stored on the hard drive.
With downloadable games, you also have patch and software updates that you need to be mindful of downloading to protect your gameplay and your security. So, with that in mind, be careful about what games you’re downloading and where you’re downloading them from.
Reputable sites are the most trustworthy options when it comes to gameplay and if you’re choosing the wrong ones, it’s going to ruin your experience of gaming in general.
If you’re ever unsure about games that you’re downloading, it’s better to not download them or to at least have a good firewall in place to scan them and identify them as legitimate downloads rather than something that could be malicious.
Set time limits on your gaming
Whenever you choose to game, you should be mindful of what limits you are setting – or perhaps not setting right now.
While gaming can be fun, you can easily get swept up in it and before long, you’re spending hours and hours gaming without a break.
Therefore, it might be worth setting some time limits on your gaming. Try to be mindful of how long you’re spending on gaming, and be sure to take regular breaks to stretch your legs and give your eyes a break from a screen.
If you find yourself spending too much time on gaming, then you should take a more extended break when you’re able to. It’s always important to be in control of your gaming rather than it being in control of you.
Be wary of scams online
Scams are definitely something to be mindful of when it comes to online gaming. While it might not be an area of the internet where they exist, it’s where people go to play games and, therefore, may let down their guard when it comes to inputting personal and financial information.
Much like scoping out the legitimacy of a site, you also need to think about the latest methods and scam attempts that have happened or continue to happen. That means staying up to date with the latest methods being used by scammers.
Monitor any spending
Spending is something to be mindful of when it comes to online gaming. While there are a lot of games that you can play for free, there are going to be some where you’ll want to spend some money.
For example, that could be gambling on games like slots to in-game purchases via your mobile phone.
It’s good to be mindful of how much you spend on games and where you might need to make some conscious decisions to spend less time on it when you’re playing too much.
Be kind to others online and report bullying or harassment
While many of us want to treat others the way we’d like to be treated, the reality of it is not the case online. There are a lot of people who will hide behind their computers and bully others for little reason other than to cause harm.
Therefore, it’s worthwhile to look out for examples of bullying or harassment online. It’s better to report it than to allow it to continue.
There are plenty of reporting functions available when it comes to social media platforms. Be sure to follow the relevant contact details on online gaming sites, too.
Set parental controls for kids
Setting parental controls is certainly something that you can do when it comes to looking after your little ones. Chances are, they’re going to want to play online one day, so putting in the controls to prevent them from going on any sites they shouldn’t is crucial.
Most platforms or internet providers will have parental controls that you can adjust in order to protect your children from as much or as little as you’d like them to access. Setting these controls for all the devices they use can provide you with peace of mind.
