Cyber worlds are designed for specific age groups. However, in most cases these sites are open to users of all ages. The ages for which the site was designed is usually mentioned in the parental guide.
Parents and careers should be aware that when children below the stipulated age access a site, they could encounter content that is potentially harmful or meet with older players who could pose a threat to their well-being. The available features and content on any site are intended only for users of a above the designed age. Children can claim to be any age and there currently are no well-establish, widespread and foolproof tools to verify age.
Which type of player is your child?
Research conducted at the University of Westminster has indentified eight types of virtual world players. Being aware of these can assist parents and carers in understanding the type of online experience their children will be most likely to have.
Type of player
|
Interested in
|
Likely to be
|
Characteristics
|
Explorer-investigator |
Following a quest, solving a mystery, going
on a journey, being ‘outdoor’
|
The more confident children, no age or gender
difference
|
Examines the detail, curious and communicative,
imaginative engagement with the mystery
|
Self-stampers
|
Presenting themselves in the world
|
Both genders, possibly more older children
|
Boys and girls want to ‘make their mark’ on
their avatar, perhaps with their own face; older girl want to dress-up and make
up their avatars. Both boys and girls want to express themselves through the
creation of home or “base”.
|
Social climbers
|
Ranking, social position within the
environment
|
Both younger and older children; only some
gender bias (boys slightly more than girl)
|
Competitive; concerned with ranking and
exhibiting that ranking to others |
Fighters
|
Death and destruction, violence, and
superpowers
|
Male, slight bias towards older boys
|
Children express frustration when not having
a means to express themselves; offering opportunities to “win” and “defeat
opponents” lessens the frustration.
|
Collector-consumer
|
Accumulating anything of perceived value
within the system
|
Older boys and girls
|
Collects pages and coins, seeks shops,
gift-giving opportunities, an economy and place to put belongings
|
Power users
|
Giving everyone the benefit of their
knowledge and experience
|
Expert in the games, the geography of the
environment, the systems
|
Spend several hours at a time playing and
exploring the games, with a deep interest in how the game works
|
Life-system builders
|
Creating new lands, new elements to the
environment, populating the environment
|
Younger children (imagined worlds without any
rules), and older children (imagined worlds with rules and systems –
houses, schools, shops, transport, economy)
|
Children express frustration when not having
a means to express themselves; systems (or lack of them) to govern the
environment are appealing
|
Nurturers
|
Looking after their avatar and pets
|
Younger boys and girls, and older girls |
Children want to meet and play with others,
to teach their avatar skills such as swimming, and to have a place for their
avatar to sleep. Virtual pets are also appealing. |
-Excerpted from Gauntlett, David and Lizzie Jackson, Virtual worlds - Users and producers, Case study: Adventure Rock, Communication and Media Research Institute (CAMRI), University of Westminster, UK. |
