HUNTINGTON WOODS, Mich. – It's one of the most popular games on the planet, but is Fortnite safe for children?
Recently, a police sting in New Jersey netted 24 arrests of predators using the game to lure children. Now, safety experts are sharing what parents should know when dealing with an interactive game like Fortnite.
- Watch Sandra Ali's full story above.
Like most children their age, the Laschinski's are part of the Fortnite frenzy. Parents, Brandin and Kandace, knew they had to set some limits. The couple also keep an eye on the game.
The game has interactions and voice chats, which means children will be exposed to strangers on the internet. Security expert Andy Arena said it's a way predators are luring children.
"Don't talk about yourself, don't talk about your family, don't talk about where you go to school because these predators are going to try to lure you in," Arena said.
Dr. Donna Rockwell, a clinical psychologist, said paying attention is important.
"Parents really just need to be vigilant and know who they're talking to. Of course, someone could go into those rooms and pretend to be a child," Rockwell said. "But that's why this whole new paradigm, this whole new set of platforms is new to us and we have to figure it out as we go along."
Parents who are concerned about those interactions can disable voice chat completely on the game through the settings menu. Experts said it's still important to have a conversation about safety with your child.