# Pls help: What advice do I need to give my son WRT online gaming with headsets? (Creep-o factor) **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 25, 2013, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pls-help-what-advice-do-i-need-to-give-my-son-wrt-online-gaming-with-headsets-creep-o-factor/664442 "2013-07-25T00:51:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pls-help-what-advice-do-i-need-to-give-my-son-wrt-online-gaming-with-headsets-creep-o-factor/664442/21 "2013-07-29T18:09:45Z")
Another anecdote which I still remember to this day: My dad and I were in Best Buy, looking for a video game to play, and he asked one of the sales person what the good games that were out were. “I don’t care if its X rated or whatever. My son is old enough and he knows the difference between right and wrong. I just want a good game.” I remember that, and feeling happy that my dad was, unsolicited, giving me a vote of confidence in my decision-making processes and what not. ---
**Author:** ![Airk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Airk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airk)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pls-help-what-advice-do-i-need-to-give-my-son-wrt-online-gaming-with-headsets-creep-o-factor/664442/22 "2013-07-30T19:28:19Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > You should jump in the game sometime and ask him to show you how to make your own profile and how to get around. Then jump in sometime on your own when he’s at school to get a glimpse of what things are like. > > He should be fine. You might see your hair go white. > > Mostly what he needs to know is a) not to give out any personal info and b) it’s really not ok to use that kind of language towards other people. I was going to pop in and say something like this; **Shakes** - no offense, but it’s clear you don’t really know what’s going on with games, and honestly, if you’re going to be the best parent you can be, you probably should. (He says as one of those people who has no kids but “knows all about what you should do.” 😛 ) Seriously though - you should put in some time, with your son, if possible, learning about this stuff. Ask him to teach you. Take a little time and mess around with some of these games. He’s a bit old at this point to want to play WITH you, most likely, but the best way to understand what’s up with an online space is to go there yourself. **Merneith’s** points stand though - if nothing else, he NEEDS to understand that you don’t tell people your name/address/phone number/email/whatever (After all, this is why you have a PSN account name!) and to treat people well. He’s going to run into a lot of people who DON’T treat people well, and you really don’t want him picking up that kind of behavior. Do your part to make the internet a better place and raise a kid who knows that attacking peoples’ race/gender/heritage/beliefs/sexuality/whatever is NOT OKAY, pretty much EVER, no matter WHAT he heard someone say on PSN. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pls-help-what-advice-do-i-need-to-give-my-son-wrt-online-gaming-with-headsets-creep-o-factor/664442/23 "2013-07-30T19:39:54Z")
If he runs a Youtube channel of his own, he probably gets the no creepers thing. Or **Shakes** should be giving him the ‘creepers are on Youtube too’ chat ASAP! It’s definitely the profanity and behaviour of the players that’s a big issue. He might think that because his peers are saying certain things those things are good to say or do elsewhere. I’d jump on the ‘these kids are being very bad and should be punished for what they’re saying, if you follow them, I’ll take the headset away and wash your mouth out with soap!’ talk. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pls-help-what-advice-do-i-need-to-give-my-son-wrt-online-gaming-with-headsets-creep-o-factor/664442.md?page=1)