Almost a fifth of parents claiming their young ones have done so.
More than half of parents admit they are unaware that children can donate to content creators online.
New research shows that donating to streamers is among the most popular ways for kids to spend their money online, with almost a fifth of parents claiming their young ones have done so.
The findings, from a survey by Virgin Media O2, also discovered that almost a fifth of all children who donate to streamers without asking their parents for prior permission do so because they are concerned their mums or dads would say no.
Nearly four out of five admit that if they had their own money – whether from pocket money or a part time job – they would be likely to spend at least part of it donating to their favourite creators.
Despite a third of parents admitting that their child is much more likely to watch an online creator than other forms of entertainment, four out of five do not believe they have enough knowledge about the online streaming industry.
Dana Haidan, chief sustainability officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “Content creation and streaming is a hugely popular and fun industry that has emerged in recent years and it’s right that streamers are supported and able to make money, but for many parents this could all be completely alien to them. It is vital that parents are aware of the new things that their children are engaging with online.”
Virgin Media O2 have teamed up with Internet Matters to provide some top tips for parents to keep their children safe online.
Utilise two-factor authentication: Ensuring all devices and services have two-factor authentication enabled will prevent anyone else being able to log on to a parent’s or child’s account as they will not have access to the passcode. Parents will also be notified of the attempted login. This can also help with payment security.
Set spending limits: It’s wise not to save card details on any account that a parent shares with their child. If possible, set-up a PIN for all remote purchases on devices.
Take advantage of privacy and security settings: Popular streaming platforms such as Twitch and YouTube have several tools built in which parents can take advantage of to ensure their child is safe online. This includes the ability to enable a chat filter – preventing exposure to derogatory and discriminatory language – which stops children from viewing age-inappropriate streams and content, and the ability to block users from contacting children. Step-by-step instructions for all major consoles and platforms can be found on the Internet Matters website here.
Teach money: It’s important to recognise that children spending money online is not always a bad thing, and it can be a great way to teach them vital life skills like budgeting. While individual gaming transactions (e.g. buying an in-game item) can be relatively cheap (comparatively speaking), it’s very easy for these to become addictive, especially if kids enjoy the a buzz from making several small purchases. Teaching them early on that they can spend money online but that it will have a real world impact – such as no money for sweets or other treats – will help them to understand the worth of their purchases while still encouraging them to be independent.
Join your children: There’s no better way to understand what children get up to online than by parents engaging and joining them in that activity. This could involve playing a video game alongside them or sitting down to enjoy the latest content from their favourite creator. Taking an interest in the things they are regularly engaging with will help parents recognise the appeal and will make it easier to have important conversations when the time comes and ensure children feel more comfortable coming to their parents in the event of something going wrong.
Talk to them about their digital lives: Unlike the real world, it’s easy for the anonymity of being online, using a screen name or game-specific tag, to inspire negative behaviour. Parents should sit down with their children to help them understand what behaviour is and is not appropriate, what good manners look like in the online space (regardless of what they may see and hear from others) and teach their children to come to them as a first port of call if they ever need support.
Keep details private: While children might have fun playing with or speaking to someone they met online, it’s important that they do not share any private details, such as real names or addresses, because unless they’ve met this friend in person, they cannot be sure who they are speaking to. For those with especially young children, it would be beneficial to help them to understand what types of information should be kept private, including details of their school, images of themselves etc. so they know not to share these with anyone.
