Fortnite

What is Fortnite and how do you play it?

In Fortnite, players collaborate to survive in an open-world environment, by battling other characters who are controlled either by the game itself or by other players. Violence is cartoonish, but some characters and scenes might disturb younger players.

The single-player or co-operative mode (played with friends) involves fighting off zombie-like creatures. But Fortnite’s most popular model is its standalone free-to-play multiplayer platform, Fortnite Battle Royale, in which up to 100 players enter an online game, competing individually or as part of squads of up to four, to be the last player standing within an ever-decreasing battle arena.

To play, players create an account by providing an email address, which they'll have to verify, and creating a username. There's no age-verification process.

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Why is Fortnite so popular?

• It's free and available on a huge range of devices - Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PC, Mac, iOS, and some Android devices too.
• The gameplay is simple but extremely immersive. Multiplayer games last up to 30 minutes, and players can quickly re-enter a new game, making long sessions extremely easy.
• It is attractively designed and, with weekly updates and challenges, it's constantly evolving.
• In-game currency - V-bucks - allows players to complete challenges for rewards. 
• It's culturally huge, with a massive social media following (via video and streaming apps like YouTube and Twitch), so children might feel left out if they don't play. 
  
  

Are there any age restrictions?

Because of its frequent scenes of mild violence, Fortnite is rated 12+ by PEGI, Pan European Game Information. But as with many games of this type, plenty of children younger than 12 are playing, so it's important that parents are aware of the safety concerns that have been raised, and how to help their children play safely.

Multiplayer Gameplay

Fortnite’s Battle Royale mode is a multiplayer game where, either individually or in squads, players from around the globe pit themselves against each other in last-man-standing-type games involving up to 100 players. It is from this model that the real safety concerns around Fortnite stem, and especially its unmoderated chat functionality – as players are open to communications, either by voice or on-screen, from anyone they are playing with. As with other games with chat functions, children may be at risk of exposure to inappropriate language, extremism, or, in extreme cases, grooming.

What steps can you take to safeguard your child?

• If opening an account, it is important that they do not create a username that could give away any personal details. There is also no age verification process. Therefore, be aware of the risks if your child has, or wants to, open an account.
• Fortnite offers three levels of privacy settings: Public, where anyone can enter your child’s online party; Friends, where only friends can join a party; and Private, which means that no one can enter your child’s party without being invited by the child themselves. Discuss the level appropriate to your child.
• Fortnite also allows for Voice-Chat to be disabled. Make yourself and your child familiar with the game’s settings and, if you deem it inappropriate, turn Voice-Chat off.
• Speak to your child about unwanted contact and tell them what to do if someone speaks to them in a nasty or inappropriate way, or asks them for personal information. Ask them to come to you if they are unsure about unwanted contact or have been exposed to something inappropriate.

How can you report inappropriate contact between my child and another player?

• Fortnite offers an in-game feedback tool in the Main Menu of the game to report bad player behavior. You can also email Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, through their website – reporting any concerns you may have.
• You can also seek advice and make a report to CEOP, Child Exploitation, and Online Protection Command, through their online safety center.  

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In-Game Purchases

Fortnite is free to play, but by buying a season battle pass, costing £7.99 and lasting a full Battle Royale season (around three months), you can receive bonus rewards, such as skins. The option of buying in-game add-ons can be done with V-Bucks, Fortnite’s in-game currency. You can purchase V-Bucks for cash or earn more V-Bucks via buying a season battle pass, which again costs money. All items that can be bought with V-Bucks are simply aesthetic and do not impact gameplay.

As with all games that offer in-app purchases, it is important to make sure that children do not have access to their parent's credit card details. It is also important to discuss with children how in-game purchases are designed to entice them in and spend money. However, if they are still adamant that they wish to purchase items on the game, allowing them to do so with their own pocket money can be a great way of giving a child a greater sense of independence.

The game’s creators Epic recently had to issue a statement advising how users can protect their accounts. This included third-party sites falsely advertising free V-Bucks in exchange for personal information. They also included a list of security tips and advice.

Is Fortnite addictive?

In the wake of the vast popularity of Fortnite – now a reported 45 million players – there have been several reports calling Fortnite addictive for children and claiming that the game induces competition-related rage.

The multiplayer in particular is popular, because of the relatively short, but high frequency of games. A player’s game can last anywhere from a few minutes to up to around 30 minutes. The option to join another game is very simple and quick to do, so tempts players with the option to quickly ‘have one more game’. 

However, it is claimed that Fortnite can promote positive qualities and skills in children and young people; such as teamwork, dexterity, and fast reactions.

It is important, if your child is playing, to speak to them about what is an appropriate amount of gameplay, and when. It is also important to understand the immersive element of the game and to respect that they may be emotionally invested in a game. Bear in mind that multiplayer games last only up to 30 minutes, so setting suitable amounts of play is easy without pulling the plug on their game.

The popularity of Fortnite videos

Fortnite videos and their respective creators have seen an equally large boom in popularity as the game has grown. Ninja, the most popular Fortnite gamer, has 9.1 million subscribers on his YouTube channel and organized a stream on the streaming service Twitch with the rapper Drake, which brought in 635,000 live viewers (a world record for viewers to a stream).

The same concerns are present for Fortnite videos as they are for any video on YouTube: essentially, the use of profane language and the discussion of topics that may be age-inappropriate for your child.

To avoid this you can turn on YouTube’s restricted mode to block inappropriate content. Alternatively, you can discuss with your child what they are watching and then watch it with them so that you can decide for yourself as to whether it is appropriate for your child or not.

What is 'Strip Fortnite'?

'Strip Fortnite' is a trend that involves a player (almost always male) and a companion (almost always female) playing a game of Fortnite, but for every 'kill' the player gets, the companion must remove one item of clothing. You can read more about this trend in our 

What is Strip Fortnite – and is it a risk for kids?

A new online trend known as 'Strip Fortnite' is gaining popularity on YouTube, based on stripping off while playing the popular online game. Here is everything you need to know about this new phenomenon and the associated risks.

What is ‘Strip Fortnite’?

Fortnite is currently one of the world's most popular online games. It is also one of the most popular YouTube topics, with 75 million Fortnite videos on the site. As a result, the game is a hot subject matter for bloggers looking to boost their viewing figures. This has led to the emergence of ‘Strip Fortnite’ videos.

The 'Strip Fortnite' video format is simple. The camera records a male gamer playing Fortnite, while a female companion watches on. For every kill the player makes in the game, the female companion has to remove one item of clothing. This is not a new concept: stripping has been added to other games in the past (ie, strip poker). But it hasn't been so widely shared online, particularly connected to a game as popular as Fortnite. This is a concern, given how many younger children play Fortnite and watch related videos.

Why is 'Strip Fortnite' allowed on YouTube?

One of the misconceptions about 'Strip Fortnite' is that people get naked. On YouTube, they don't. YouTube guidelines rule that nudity and sexually explicit content (ie, pornography) is not permitted. 'Strip Fortnite' videos don't actually show nudity, and sometimes don't even show stripping. Suggestive thumbnail images and titles suggest viewers will see nudity. In reality, it is usually someone stripping to their underwear, at worst. Sometimes the videos actually only feature gameplay footage and no stripping at all. (YouTube guidelines also outlaw misleading thumbnail images, but many vloggers ignore this.) 

Often, the strip occurs with almost comedic effect. Some feature girls in excessive amounts of clothing. Others are 'accidentally' interrupted by someone walking into the room. Despite this, 'Strip Fortnite' videos receive millions of views. With over 400,000 found on YouTube, they are also rather easy to come by.

The biggest 'Strip Fornite' controversy to date surrounds a YouTuber known as 'touchdalight'. YouTube removed one of this vlogger's videos after it claimed to feature his 13-year-old sister. It later transpired that the '13-year-old' was neither that age nor his sister. This highlights the lengths some vloggers will go for views. Another video even claimed to feature Kim Kardashian, when it fact it was a (not very good) lookalike.

Can my child watch these videos?

Not if they only watch YouTube Kids. This restricted version of YouTube does not allow Fortnite videos, other than dance videos which contain no inappropriate content (unless you don't want your child continually flossing!). Most 'Strip Fortnite' videos on YouTube's main platform do not have an age rating. This means children who have outgrown YouTube Kids don't need to sign in to view them.

Be aware: if you Google ‘Strip Fortnite’, it can bring up results including adult sites like Pornhub. In this uncensored environment, 'Strip Fortnite' videos can contain full-frontal nudity and worse. Make sure to apply age-appropriate filters to your broadband, search engines, and devices.

Also, talk to your child and open up a conversation about what is OK to watch, and what isn’t. Children may not be looking for this content but may still click on it out of curiosity. If they tell you about something they have seen, ask them about it how it made them feel.

What other risks do I need to look out for?

As with any online trend, there is a chance that children may try to replicate what they see. There is little evidence to suggest UK children are playing 'Strip Fortnite'. They are watching and talking about it, though. It is important that children know the content on the show is not something they should aim to copy or view.

These videos display young women stripping, sometimes appearing quite uncomfortable in doing so. Children must understand this objectifying girl is unpleasant and exploitative. They should consider that these videos are being made by those who may not have their best interests at heart.

What should I do if I know a child has been involved in a 'Strip Fortnite' video?

If you do stumble upon any inappropriate content, you can report it to the child's school and the platform you came across it on, e.g. YouTube. If you are concerned that the video is the result of online grooming or sexual abuse, rather than children filming themselves, you should report this to the law enforcement body NCA-CEOP.