‘Press Start for PlayStation Safety’ | launch of new innovative quiz to support families with making safe gaming choices

‘Press Start for PlayStation Safety’ | launch of new innovative quiz to support families with making safe gaming choices

As the festive season approaches, games consoles will no doubt make an appearance on a few Christmas lists and with the festive school break, children will have more time to enjoy gaming. With this in mind, understanding how to ensure your child is safe while gaming online can be a daunting task, even for the most tech-savvy parents.

In the digital age, online gaming has become a child’s playground, offering them an immersive experience that supports their connections with friends through the use of in-game chat functions, multiplayer games and cross-play experiences.

As developers look for more and more ways to encourage positive experiences within the online community, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) and other online gaming platforms provide parents and guardians with a number of useful and intuitive parental controls, such as play-time limits and privacy settings.

Research shows that 60%** of children aged 3-17 play games online, as it becomes increasingly important to provide young people and their parents with the necessary tools to enjoy a safer experience while gaming.

Looking to help them along their journey, Internet Matters and SIE have launched a new interactive quiz for the PlayStation and online community that parents and guardians can take with their children before they sit down to play.

The innovative new resource – ‘Press Start for PlayStation Safety’ – has been created for parents and children to complete together by asking a series of questions related to the safety and privacy features available on PlayStation platforms, as well as educating guardians on how to set up a child account, adjust security settings and playing time settings.

Aimed at players aged 7+, the interactive quiz will encourage parents and children to work together to understand good gaming behaviours and the parental controls available on the console; helping to create a healthy, safe and joyful experience for children while using their games consoles.

The interactive quiz also provides further advice for parents and guardians from Internet Matters Ambassador and child psychologist, Dr Linda Papadopoulos, alongside questions and prompts for parents, guardians and children to discuss openly together.

PlayStation Network (PSN) is one of many platforms that allows children and young people to socialise through shared play. It gives them a way to play, chat, create and share together while being supported with tailored safety settings to do it safely and smartly.

While it is widely accepted that there is a clear benefit of socialising while gaming, Internet Matters recognises the additional support that children and guardians need to do it safely – with the help of the ‘Press Start for PlayStation Safety’.

The content has been carefully developed so that it is relevant to a global audience, and has a downloadable certificate for passing the quiz, alongside a downloadable safety companion guide.

This comes as new research from Internet Matters of children aged 9-16 reinforces the important role that parents play in keeping their kids safe online – as 72% of those surveyed say they use a games console in a typical month.

The research also reveals nearly one in four kids aged 9-16 using a games console say they are not confident in knowing how to stay safe online. The biggest issues they face when using connected tech are spending too much time online (45%), spending money in games/apps (34%) followed by being contacted by strangers (27%).

More than eight out of 10 (83%) of children who play console games say they would turn to parents before anyone else for information about staying safe online – yet, tellingly, only 45% had done this after experiencing a problem online.

While only 61% of console players aged 9-16 say they would report content or users who make comments that are upsetting.

Ghislaine Bombusa, Head of Digital at Internet Matters, said: “There’s an increasing need to ensure young people stay safe online, whatever they are doing, and our research shows the majority of children would turn to their parents for help.
“Our interactive quiz developed in partnership with Sony Interactive Entertainment makes it easier for them to know where to start to support positive experiences for their kids on PlayStation platforms.

“The tool encourages their involvement, making sure they are aware of the latest safety features and have the confidence to apply them in a way that works best for their family.

“It’s not just about how to set up parental controls, it’s designed to open up conversations around online safety and give parents more understanding about their child’s gaming experience.”

Catherine Jensen VP, Global Consumer Experience, said: “At Sony Interactive Entertainment, we champion innovation to create safe and joyful gaming experiences for our PlayStation community, including our youngest and most vulnerable players. We are committed to providing easy, intuitive tools and information to parents and guardians as they navigate their children’s gaming experiences. We are proud of our partnership with Internet Matters to further extend online safety educational resources around gaming to parents, caregivers and players”

Parents can access the quiz on:

Press Start for PlayStation Safety

Rugged Hank

Education Technology Day must be extended to prisons

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Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here. The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously. The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.

Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here. The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously. The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.

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