[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” module_alignment=”left” custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”2px||4px|2%|false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”0px||0px||true|false” module_alignment_tablet=”” module_alignment_phone=”center” module_alignment_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-80px|||||” custom_padding=”0px||0px||true|false” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Like many relatively unheard of apps, <\/span>Among Us surged in popularity during the pandemic. It got additional boosts when <\/span>Chance \u2018Sodapoppin\u2019 Morris\u00a0streamed\u00a0<\/span>Among Us\u00a0to his followers on\u00a0<\/span>Twitch, and when U.S. representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez asked Twitter if anyone wanted to play<\/span>. While most popular among tweens and teens, kids as young as 4 years old are regulars on the game. So heads up parents! Here\u2019s what you should know about <\/span>Among Us to help keep your kids safe online.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Qustodio:\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>18+<\/p>\n Apple<\/a>:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>12+<\/p>\n Android<\/a>:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>PEGI 12 (shows violence of a slightly more graphic nature towards fantasy characters or non-realistic violence towards human-like characters)<\/p>\n Common Sense<\/a>:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>18+<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Among Us\u00a0is a space-based version of\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>Mafia<\/strong>,<\/strong> a psychology experiment<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>developed by Dimitry Davidoff in 1986<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/em>Created for iPhone and Android by the indie game developer\u00a0<\/span>InnerSloth<\/a>\u00a0in 2018, it is part teamwork, part betrayal. The goal of the\u00a0<\/span>A<\/em>mong Us players, the 4-10 aliens (described as looking like little honey-baked hams or sausages) in the video game, is to hold their spaceship, sky headquarters or planet base together and discover which crew-mate (or mates) is an alien imposter so they can vote them off, blow them out the airlock, and get back to civilization before they kill off the crew.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Aside from being free-to-play and relatively easy to learn, kids and teens really like the social side of <\/strong><\/span>Among Us<\/strong>. It’s a game that involves deduction and deception, so it’s more like <\/span>Clue and poker than Fortnite. The added reliance on evaluating personalities is fun and makes it more human, like hanging out with friends. <\/span><\/p>\n People report feeling closer to people they have met on <\/span>Among Us than with people they have known their whole lives. In terms of design, it’s also more fun to watch than your typical shoot-em-up game. According to <\/span>The New York Times<\/em>,\u00a0<\/span>Twitch fans watched more than 200 million hours of Among Us in 2020<\/a>!<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n While cartoony and easy enough for a child or a not-so-tech-savvy adult to play,\u00a0<\/span>Among Us\u00a0<\/span>has two main issues: it is\u00a0<\/span>not moderated\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>and there is\u00a0<\/span>no way to make 100%\u00a0 sure kids are only playing with their friends<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>\u2013 there is a private mode, but you\u2019d have to check every friend that was invited was someone you trust and your child really knows.<\/p>\n The\u00a0<\/span>public chat<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>is limited to 30-second \u201cemergency meetings\u201d (after a body is found or someone presses the emergency meeting button) and to a voice chat in the \u201clobby\u201d before the space match starts. Either one could expose your child to inappropriate language, doxxing<\/a>, predators, or\u00a0<\/span>groomers<\/strong>. And, just because your child\u2019s chats are limited in the game, it doesn\u2019t mean they aren\u2019t chatting with the public somewhere else.<\/p>\n In fact, parents need to know that\u00a0<\/span>much of the chatting related to\u00a0<\/span>Among Us\u00a0<\/span>play doesn\u2019t happen in the game itself.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>Many players simultaneously stream on\u00a0<\/span>Twitch\u00a0<\/span>and chat on\u00a0<\/span>Discord<\/a>, to name a few.<\/p>\n Parents have also complained that teamwork can turn to bullying when a group gangs up on a single child, especially in these side chats or calls.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n And, like any game with in-app purchases, parents should be aware there is\u00a0<\/span>downloadable content (DLC)<\/a>. The good news is, the DLC in\u00a0<\/span>Among US\u00a0<\/span>is purely cosmetic or for fun (skins, hats, pets, flower pots\u2026), and won\u2019t improve a player\u2019s chances of winning. Nevertheless, we\u2019re guessing most parents don\u2019t want their hard-earned money spent on a virtual toilet plunger!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/static.qustodio.com\/public-site\/uploads\/2021\/10\/29135146\/ADR-IG-Safety-Guide32_EN.jpg” alt=”Is Free Fire Safe for Kids?” title_text=”ADR-IG-Safety Guide32_EN” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” width=”55%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Because\u00a0<\/span>Among Us has no monitoring (apart from a basic chat sensor that attempts to block profanity) or parental controls, there isn\u2019t much parents can do to make the game safer for kids than to play together or supervise game play in person. No matter what the age of your child, parents should help their children develop \u201c<\/span>digital resilience<\/strong><\/a>\u201d \u2013 the ability to understand and react appropriately to risks online:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 1. Make sure your child knows\u00a0<\/span>how to handle strangers, predators and trolls:<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n 2. Make sure your child has\u00a0<\/span>online etiquette, aka \u201cnetiquette\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>(being nice online)<\/p>\n 3. Make sure your child knows how to separate fact from fantasy<\/strong>. Among Us requires that a child has the maturity to role play and not take the attributes of their character or other characters too seriously.<\/p>\n 4. Do not give your child access to credit card information and remove auto-pay<\/strong> (to avoid in-app purchases). If your child really wants to buy DLC, do it for them and be sure to never save the credit card information on file.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n We think\u00a0<\/span>Among Us is a really fun game to play together as a family, starting at around age 10. Younger kids tend to think much more literally, so the deceptive element of the game might not be age appropriate.<\/p>\n For older children, you should base your decision on your child\u2019s digital reliance and emotional maturity. Do they know what to do if approached by an ill-intentioned stranger? Can they stand up to bullying? Do they themselves know how to be nice online?<\/p>\n Until 18+ we highly recommend keeping play to private mode and to limit chat to the in-game chat<\/strong>. Watch out for external chats. As with any game, if play becomes addictive be sure to set time limits with your phone\u2019s native screen time apps or with a parental control app like\u00a0<\/span>Qustodio, or block the game<\/a> until healthy habits are restored.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Like many relatively unheard of apps, Among Us surged in popularity during the pandemic. It got additional boosts when Chance \u2018Sodapoppin\u2019 Morris\u00a0streamed\u00a0Among Us\u00a0to his followers on\u00a0Twitch, and when U.S. representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez asked Twitter if anyone wanted to play. While most popular among tweens and teens, kids as young as 4 years old are regulars […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":2417,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"Qustodio\u2019s Safety Guide to Among Us<\/strong><\/h3>\n
App Ratings<\/strong><\/h2>\n
What is Among Us?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Why do kids and teens love\u00a0Among Us?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Is Among us safe for kids?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
How can I make Among Us safer for my child or teen?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Qustodio\u2019s final advice for parents on Among Us<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Among Us<\/em> Ratings<\/strong><\/h2>\r\nApple<\/a>:<\/strong> 9+\r\n\r\nAndroid<\/a>:<\/strong> PEGI 7 (very mild forms of violence)\r\n\r\nCommon Sense<\/a>:<\/strong> 10+\r\n\r\nQustodio: <\/strong>10+ with parent present, 13+ in privacy mode\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
Qustodio\u2019s App Safety Guide to Among Us<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
<\/h3>\r\n
What is the Among Us<\/em> app?<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\nAmong Us<\/em> is a space-based version of Mafia<\/em>, a psychology experiment developed by Dimitry Davidoff in 1986<\/a>. <\/em>Created for iPhone and Android by the indie game developer InnerSloth<\/a> in 2018, it is part teamwork, part betrayal. The goal of the Among Us <\/em>players, the 4-10 aliens (described as looking like little honey-baked hams or sausages) in the video game, is to hold their spaceship, sky headquarters or planet base together and discover which crew-mate (or crew-mates) is an alien imposter so they can vote them off, blow them out the airlock, and get back to civilization before they kill off the crew.\r\n\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
Why do kids and teens love Among Us<\/em>?<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\nAside from being free-to-play, relatively easy to learn, and a low risk distraction to the pandemic, Kids and teens (and a growing number of adults), really like the social side of Among Us<\/em>. It is a game that involves deduction and deception, so it is more like Clue<\/em> and poker than Fortnite<\/em>. This added reliance on evaluating personalities is fun and makes it more human, like hanging out with friends. People report feeling closer to people they have met on Among Us<\/em> than with people they have known their whole lives. In terms of design, it is also more fun to watch than your typical shoot-em-up game. According to The New York Times<\/em>, Twitch fans have watched more than 200 million hours of Among Us this year<\/a>!\r\n\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
Is Among us safe for kids?<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\nWhile it is cartoony and easy enough for a child or a not-so-tech-savvy adult to play, Among Us<\/em> has two main issues: it is not moderated <\/strong>and there is no way to make 100%\u00a0 sure kids are only playing with their friends<\/strong> - there is a private mode, but you\u2019d have to check every friend that was invited was someone you trust and your child really knows.\r\n\r\nThe public chat<\/strong> is limited to 30-second \u201cemergency meetings\u201d (after a body is found or someone presses the emergency meeting button) and to a voice chat in the \u201clobby\u201d before the space match starts. Either one could expose your child to inappropriate language, predators, or groomers<\/strong>. And, just because your child\u2019s chats are limited in the game, it doesn\u2019t mean they aren\u2019t chatting with the public somewhere else. In fact, parents need to know that much of the chatting related to Among Us<\/em> play doesn\u2019t happen in the game itself.<\/strong> Many players simultaneously stream on Twitch<\/em> and chat on Discord<\/a><\/em>, to name a few.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
How can I make Among Us<\/em> safer for my child or teen?<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nBecause Among U<\/em>s has no monitoring (to be fair there is a basic chat sensor that attempts to block profanity) or parental controls, there isn\u2019t much parents can do to make the game safer for kids than to play together or supervise game play in person. No matter what the age of your child, parents should help their children develop \u201cdigital resilience<\/strong>\u201d - the ability to understand and react appropriately to risks online:\r\n\r\n\u00a0\r\n
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Qustodio\u2019s final advice for parents about Among Us<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\r\nWe think Among U<\/em>s is a really fun game to play together as a family, starting at around age 10. Younger kids tend to think much more literally, so the deceptive element of the game might not be age appropriate. For older children, you should base your decision on your child\u2019s digital reliance and emotional maturity. Do they know what to do if approached by an ill-intentioned stranger? Can they stand up to bullying? Do they themselves know how to be nice online? Until 18+ we highly recommend keeping play to private mode and to limit chat to the in-game chat. Watch out for external chats. As with any game, if play becomes addictive be sure to set time limits with your phone\u2019s native screen time apps or with a parental control app like Qustodio<\/a>*, or block the game until healthy habits are restored.\r\n\r\n*Qustodio monitors Among Us<\/em> on Android and Mac.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
Footnotes<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n
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More app safety guides and digital parenting articles<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n