Recently I posted an article about online gaming, What Parents Should Know Before Buying Wi-Fi Gadgets and Video Game Systems for Kids This Holiday. I received a comment about the article from GetGameSmart.com informing me that their website gives parents tutorials on setting controls on Xbox LIVE. 

GetGameSmart.com was started by Microsoft to provide parents tools and resources to help them choose the right games, content and online access for their families media choices. This is a great resource for all parents and I highly recommend you check out the site yourself. 

Xbox LIVE Family Settings by GetGameSmart.com

To set Xbox LIVE Family Settings for your child, you must first create a Child Membership. Step-by-step instructions for creating a Child's Profile can be found at GetGameSmart.com.  Once you've completed this brief process, you will be able to manage the following Xbox LIVE features:

Access to Xbox LIVE: If you decide to block access to Xbox LIVE, you and your family members will not be able to connect to Xbox LIVE to play games, communicate with other gamers or download content.

Online Gameplay: Before you can play multiplayer games online, you need an Xbox LIVE Gold Membership. Once in place, this option allows you to decide whether your child can play Xbox 360™ games online.

Xbox LIVE Vision Cam: You can control how your family can use the Xbox LIVE Vision Cam. You can block all child accounts from using the camera, limit camera use to friends only or allow full access. Additionally, if you experience any problems with gamers on Xbox LIVE using the Vision Camera inappropriate way you can file a complaint by visiting that users gamer profile.

Xbox LIVE Vision Cam:

   1. Select "Everyone" to allow your child to communicate using video chat with anyone on Xbox LIVE.
   2. Select "Friends Only" to allow your child to communicate only with people on their friends list.
   3. Select "Blocked" to prevent anyone from communicating with your child.

Privacy and Friends: You have the power to approve your child's online friends. Options are:

   1. Let your child communicate with anybody, or only with their friends.
   2. Decide who can see your child's personalized gamer profile.
   3. Decide whose gamer profiles your child can see.
   4. Control who sees your child's online or offline status.
   5. Decide whether other people can see your child's friends.

Voice and Text:

   1. Select "Everyone" to allow your child to communicate using voice and text with anyone on Xbox LIVE.
   2. Select "Friends Only" to allow your child to communicate only with people on their friends list.
   3. Select "Blocked" to prevent everyone from communicating with your child.
   4. No matter what the setting, your child will still be able to receive new friend requests for you to approve or block.

Content: Content controls help you set limits on the kind of downloadable content your kids can access including games, television shows, Netflix® movies and member-created content. You can choose to allow your child to search Xbox LIVE for downloadable game updates, demos and other content, as well as content created by other Xbox LIVE members.

With Family Settings, you can be sure that every member of your household is enjoying a fun and safe experience on Xbox LIVE. Visit www.GetGameSmart.com to learn more about the ways you can ensure your family has a safe and balanced gaming experience.

File a Complaint: If you encounter someone who breaks the Xbox LIVE Code of Conduct, you can file a complaint. All complaints are reviewed by Xbox LIVE. However, Xbox LIVE policy does not disclose the status or results of individual complaints.

To file a complaint, press the Xbox Guide button, then select the player's profile and choose File Complaint.

You can find the original article by clicking here.

GetGameSmart.com

This year Microsoft, partnered with over a dozen of the nation’s most prominent children’s media advocacy organizations, are expanding our public service outreach efforts with the Get Game Smart Campaign. The Campaign takes a first-of-its-kind approach to helping parents and kids establish healthy habits for playing video games, watching TV and browsing the Web.

Mission:
The Get Game Smart Campaign will inspire families to take simple steps to help ensure that kids are using media in ways that are safer, healthier and more balanced. It will encourage them to participate in a variety of both online and offline activities with chances to win prizes from Best Buy gift cards, to Xbox game consoles to a family entertainment system valued at $5,000. There’s even a chance for teens and their parents to become Ambassadors for the effort and have their own smart media habits featured in the campaign.

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What Parents Should Know Before Buying Wi-Fi Gadgets and Video Game Systems for Kids This Holiday