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EverQuest II: Smedley Blog: Games and Kids
Stradden
Managing EditorMember CommonPosts: 6,696
There has been a lot of debate surrounding video games, and a way to allow them to be fun for children, and yet safe as well. Online games can provide a special challenge in this area.
John Smedley, CEO of SOE, weighs in on the subject not as a game developer but as many of us would, as a parent.
The blog can be found at stationblog here.
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I had an interesting experience this weekend. My oldest daughter (shes 9) was playing an online game (not one of ours and not WoW) and someone asked her how old she was. As I had taught her she immediately put this person on the ignore list, reported them via an in-game command and came to me and let me know what had happened. Since this had happened one previous time in this particular game (with the exact same response from her) I immediately cancelled the account.Im a parent with 4 kids ranging in age from 5 to 11. All 4 of them play games. I actively game with my son (the 11 year old). My youngest 2 kids (ages 5 and 6) also play games (Disneys ToonTown which I highly recommend as a VERY SAFE game). Why am I talking about this? Very simple - online games are great for kids. My son is a lighting fast typist and absolutely loves online games. We have a set time hes allowed to play and I actively use parental controls in all of the games that make them available. My wife and I have sat down with each of the older kids and discussed what is and isnt ok in the online gaming world. They know never to give out private information of any kind, and they know to immediately come to us if someone asks for it. In each of the games they play I have personally checked out their friends list to make sure the only people on them are people they know in real life. We also only let them play games that we feel are age appropriate. Weve all seen the stories about kids being contacted by older strangers and trying to lure them into doing some dangerous and bad things. Im here to tell you to be extremely vigilant. Make sure as parents you are very aware of what games your kids are playing and exactly how communication happens in these games. Just like the real world there are some bad people out there. It is our job as parents to make sure that kids understand what safe playing is all about. Its been interesting to be running an online gaming company at the same time my kids are old enough to play some of these games. Its given me a very strong opinion about online safety. I cannot stress enough how important it is for parents to be involved in what their kids are doing and playing online. Recently one of the things Ive been seriously considering here at SOE is allowing parents to have other tools as part of their checking up on just what their kids are doing online. Id like us to implement a parental control that would allow parents to receive an email once a day of every piece of chat that their child was able to see that particular day. Now I havent vetted this idea with our general counsel or with our technical team. Its possible that this could be a lot of work to implement and its also possible that doing this might not be something thats entirely smart from a legal perspective. I just know as a parent this sure is something Id like to see. I welcome your thoughts on this. Feel free to email me at jsmedley@soe.sony.com |
Cheers,
Jon Wood
Managing Editor
MMORPG.com
Comments
that kind of explains it all
Smedley wants SWG to be perfectly playable by 9 year old kids.
Down with all that complicated non fun stuff that requires longer than 10 seconds concentration!
"Before this battle is over all the world will know that few...stood against many." - King Leonidas
Sorry for the brutal comparaison but...Hitler was a perfect father, he was religious, he was devoted.
My point is, Smed is clueless on many aspects. Even as a parent, I am more or less sure he understands what he just did. I dunno this case and I know for myself I never ask anybody's age, yet I often give my "old" amount when the topic is brought and it is OFTEN brought. Just reading there, we have no idea who she was talking to. What if, the person asking was another kid or simply curious?
I mean, not everyone asking about their fellow player is necessarily what the FBI would first think off. Many persons on this site would ask for the age, then have an elitist : no 18- in the guild attitude or would be having a social backlash against the kids in a way or another or self gratification by denigrating others. Other might be asking before going "dirty talk". Again I don't indulge in either case, but would someone be wrong asking the peoples around what age they are before going on? I suppose I should ask peoples in my group their age, but point is, I never, and if someone bring a topic like DEATH PENALTY, drugs or religions, I would personnally give my opinion with no further thinking about: "Is there a kid in the group?". Nope I wouldn't bring that topic, I wouldn't be the person that purposefully talk about an inappropriate topic with kids arounds, I actually group lot of kids and they are great players to just go hunt some mobs. I think that artificially protecting them might not be the best at all time. If someone ask me if I am a girl in RL, I may, answer, either way. If I think it is a nasty person, I would usually say yes to test him and use the report option should it deserve it. If I think it is a nice person, I would just say the truth, I am a guy who rather look at a girl avatar and hear a girl "humping" rather than a male barbarian humping everything my toon jump or is hurt. If player A bring a topic, I don't feel it is my responsability to consider what age is player B, C, D or E before answering. I never cyber/dirty talk or have such bad behavior, but I am not 100% sure that everything I say or do is proper for a kid, it all depend on which development phase they are. Of course, my anti-raiding rant is 100% kid safe! As everything I brought myself. Smed might wants to rethink and maybe forfeit his kids all access to these game when they are not grouped with him or he might accept the fact his kids might see spouses of soldiers in Iraq express their opinion and ask for a debate with someone in the group who is pro-Bush and then it talk way beyond...however I do think a kid should see for himself this happen, not be protected from it, it is part of growing.
So I don't say Smed is jumping the gun on this case, I am saying that granted the little information he gaves us, he is jumping the gun. A kid usually follows his parents advice to the LETTER, the person who ask age might be perfectly "legit" in doing so. In an attempt to look like a good dad. I don't say he is a bad dad, far from there, he is caring and everything, very protective (maybe too much, but that would be another topic). Yet, this is all part of his propaganda.
What will Smed does when a player told his little girl that HE is a mangina by not using Ventrilo? Good luck explaining that pal!
Now, against these players, you really should be enforcing the parental nasty stick!
On a SIDE note: Smed, are you honestly bringing your kids in GAMES infested by that evil raiding-gameplay? That is completely irresponsible! Kids care about been the best at what they do, it matter a LOT to them (just as it matter to me even at 32). In a raiding game, they CAN'T! All this in a hobby, not in a serious endeavor about life...LOL, this is ridiculous, because even if my RANTS about raiding are kids-safe, raiding itself is not kid-safe and if you gain an anti-raiders heavy supporter in your house...it would be YOUR FAULT. Bringing a kid inside a raid-enforced HOBBY, let's talk about been an irresponsible parent! Kids, by their natures, will trust their guildleaders and they will do what they expect them to be doing, even if they doesn't get a fair treatment, all this in a hobby! LOL, if you trust FoH and AL to be nice with your kids, then you are a fool!
- "If I understand you well, you are telling me until next time. " - Ren
and someone asked her how old she was.
I can understand being protective. I can also understand how giving information out to strangers should be discourgaed. Smed's response to THIS question seems a little over the top to me. Kids ask each other how old they are all the time.
Ditto the poster above me
I am a parent, and I feel I act responsibly towards their gaming, but whacking people straight on ignore and monitoring their friends list, not only smacks of paranoi but also the term 'control freak' comes to mind.
How can kids learn about life and people, if they have some shadow lurking over them all the time?
I feel really sorry for his kids.
I've always thought Smedley was a bit of a w****r, now I know he is. No wonder SoE are such a hopeless company with someone like him at the helm. Makes me wonder how he treates his staff!
He's protecting his kids and thats a good thing. If more people paid attention to their kids these days the world would be a better place.
http://www.greycouncil.org/
I think that merely asking someone's age is not, in itself, a dangerous question. Often while playing SOE games I have wondered the age of another person in the zone or in my party. Why? Because their playing is strange. If they are young, it can be excussible and I will take that into account. In fact, the issue of the age of the player is so important to me, much more important than gender or race, that I feel that other players should have a way to find that out.
Has Mr. Smedley overreacted. Probably. His reaction to the question of his child's age does not take into account its relative danger vs. the reasons a stranger might ask the question. Now, a question regarding another players real name, address (not just city and/or time zone, which is important), telephone number, school, height, hair color, or something else that really identifies the child is a very different matter fully justifying such a response.
However, he asked if I, as another MMORPG player would mind if a parent was sent an email of the chat log. Of course not! A savvy parent can already record the chat log and look at it later. This would just be another tool to be used. In fact, even nonparents might find it useful!
"Great, here's another ticket about somebody asking how old little Smedlina is."
"Oh no, Bob, better ban him for that!"
*Laughter ensues, auto-response button is pushed, ticket is deleted*
Seriously, I'm glad he is actually watching out for his kids, but could he be more paranoid?
Agent_X7 AKA J Star
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Notice: The views expressed in this post are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of MMORPG.com or its management.
My son l(10) likes to play Runescape. I have watched him play, and there seem to be a LOT of kids on that game, because it's free. I have seen many people asking how old other people were. It's what kids do... age is a very important thing to children, in case any of you don't remember being a kid.
Most likely the person asking for his daughter's age was just another kid, like my 10 year old son would have done. No need to over-react jeesh. It's if they start asking OTHER things is when you need to worry.
- Lady Pashta
Hitler had no children, and he was avowedly atheist. Have a nice day.
"Speaking haygywaygy or some other gibberish with your mum doesn't make you foreign."
-baff
He's protecting his kids and thats a good thing. If more people paid attention to their kids these days the world would be a better place.
You people are funny. When a kid hits another kid you tell them to stop and make a compromise or something like that correct? when a kid asks another kid his age....you ignore them then report. I mean WTF look then you might think well they might be a rapist or some type of perv and yea that is possable, But what makes you think that some one is going to come rape you from finding our your age? those people on tv that get raped and stuff from like im chatting are little prepy idiots that either don't know what their doing or want to get raped like a whore. so it's nice to be protecting your child yes...if they are retards, then again i am only 16 and i must know nothing about the world but yea my mom says nothing to me and never watches my do anything really and last time i checked i am not being raped and i get asked whats my age all the time becuase of my voice on teamspeak/vent is some what childish it is common curiosity to realize another sociable person's age.
no offence just my opion.
postamble();Twentysomething years ago when Frank Zappa was battling with the P.M.R.C. over music censorship, I would have written Smedley off as another establishment control freak. While I'm still not a fan of censorship, I believe the internet is a double-edged sword. There's infinitely more ways to access both good and bad things, and many more ways of hiding internet behavior from non-savvy parents.
Both my kids are net-savvy, and I keep an eagle eye on them while they're online. We have only one computer in the house, and it is in plain view in the dining room. Let's face it - every teen likes to sneak around behind their parents' back, but it's a different world now. There are too many freaks and temptations out there, and too many parents are either ignorant to the dangers or are remiss in teaching their kids right from wrong.
Having kids changes your perspectives a bit. I'm aware that I caan't shield them completely, but I will filter wht they are exposed to until I feel they are mature enough to handle it. I still check out the CDs they want before they get them. Movies, too. I don't need some government watchdog to tell me what's appropriate for my kids - that's my job. Problem is, not enough parents take the responsibility to make those decisions.
By the time my kids are of legal age, they will have a firm understanding of their parents' beliefs. Then, they're on their own. My job will be done.
I look forward to sitting down and listening to my favorite Frank Zappa CDs with them someday, but the're just not ready yet.
Scott
Im having an oposite reaction, it seems, than most of the posts here. I acually "saw" Smed as a human today, rather than a giant nerfing gnome. How he raises his children is his business and I applaud him for being vigilant in protecting them from internet wack-jobs.
Im not a parent- but I agree that there could be more oversight, by parents, on the internet. Were not talking about free-speech or anything- were talking about children and parents taking an active and responsible role in raising their children.
Anything a game company can do to protect younger adults when they play side by side with older and sometimes freaky adults is OK with me. Ive seen those nbc internet pediphile shows- if i was a parent I would be watching my kids closely.
I applaud smed for this- I think parents being able to keep an eye on what their kids are doing is important when you mix them with anon adults online.
Lath
I dont normaly post on these forums, but today I feel I need to say something.
I am disgusted with the way some of you have attacked and insulted Smedley over this, because he has made some decisions regarding games that you did not like.
What a nasty bunch of selfish crybabys you are, we are talking about GAMES here, that is no reason to attack someone so cruely and personaly about the way they chose to raise their Kids.
I do disagree with Smedleys approach, but I wont relate his parenting skills to the work He does for Sony, they are two seperate issues. I think asking someones age is legitimate and normal.
Now Just think how you would feel if you had kids and someone said the things you have said. Its Childish, and Just plain mean to talk like this. Hes trying to look after his kids, what is wrong with that exactly.
He asked for a discussion on this matter, not for Rants comparing Parenting techniques to Star Wars Galaxies.
Some of you people take these Games to seriously. If you dont like em, find something else to do, but to just sit on these forums crying , whining and bitching and basicly being Crappy to other people, is pathetic. Im ashamed to be part of this community, when such personal insults about someones kids are used to try and get back at a game developer who has changed your GAMES in a way that you disagree with.
They are only Games. They are not that Important to warrant such hostility.
Hitler had no children, and he was avowedly atheist. Have a nice day.
He loved his dogs, though...
(sorry - couldn't resist it
)
Reporting someone because they ask your age...
How stupid is that???
No offense Mr Smedley but dont you think this is borderline seriously paranoid? Now if that person had said something that was out of line or downright been offensive to her i could understand. This is teaching your kids that everyone that ask her some information when she is older is a creep. Your child will be very much sheletered and heaven forbid she had to fend for herself in the "real" world how poorly she would do.
I have some respect for you but upon reading this i have lost some.
The only thing I wanna know is, who protects Mr. Smedley's kids from Mr. Smedley? :-)
I knew a kid in my childhood who's mother was over-protective to the extreme; I heard later that she had lost one child in an accident or something. Everywhere the kid went, she followed; most other kids avoided him because his mother was always there, trying to stop all those risky, crazy things which kids define as "having fun". When he got to school age, teachers had to throw the mother out of the classroom because she came there with him.
His mother always did everything for him, never allowing him to do anything on his own, or to take risks or personal responsibility. What was the result? He was basically retarded by the time he reached school age. He never learned how to deal with other people or how to do things on his own; he couldn't even tie his own shoe laces. He played with children 10 years younger than him at the sandbox, with his mother always sitting nearby. He flew into violent rage for infantile reasons, and lost all his friends when they grew up and he didn't. Such a model kid, huh?
A/S/L people.
I think this guy is a bit overcatious but he is also smart. Only a bad parent would allow their kids to go out and talk to complete strangers unsupervised, in a place full of perverts, pedos, sickos, and other social deviants. If you allow a kid under the age of 12 to play mmorpgs or go on chat rooms unsupervised you are a horrible parent, and you should be jailed, or whipped whatever kind of country you come from. Oh and I play mmorpgs, a huge number of people are creeps and perverts, I know I am.
It's better be hated for who you are, than loved for who you aren't.
That describes pretty much every place on earth, to some degree. I would rather have my kids prepared for it than try to keep an eye on them 24/7. Even when the computer is in the living room, you just can't read every line of text the kids write; they will just tell the sickos when you aren't looking. The only thing parental controls really do is lure parents into a false sense of security, while making a lot of cash for companies that are in the business of making them.
It's the same thing as with drugs; you can try to stop your kids from using them, but it's never going to work. They will find a way to do it if they want to, and there is nothing you can do about it. If you really want to stop that, make sure they know enough about drugs to make the right choice on their own. One word of warning though: make sure it's an objective truth, government (mis-)information campaigns have been failing for years because kids see their friends doing drugs without the alleged side-effects, so they no longer believe any of it, even the parts that are actually true.
It's better be hated for who you are, than loved for who you aren't.
