How do hackers target children on video games?

Children are more online than ever before. But as kids immerse themselves in the world of video games, they’ve become increasingly vulnerable to hackers.

By 2025, the video game market is set to reach a value of $256.97 billion.

One in three people around the world play video games, and a significant portion of the gamers are children.

One of the most popular games with children is Roblox, an online platform that allows users to create their own games for others to play.

Millie, 11, likes playing Bloxburg, a house building simulator, while Tavion, 10, is a fan of Pet Simulator.

In both games, completing tasks gets you the in-game currency which you can use to buy items. But you can also buy the currency with real money. Roblox has its own currency called Robux.

“One of the more recent developments in games has focused on in-game purchases,” says Dr Kelli Dunlap, a clinical psychologist and game designer. “Yes, you bought the game, but now if you want more, you have to pay a little extra.”

The lure of in-game purchases is particularly appealing to children who might not have an adult understanding of money.

Jovan, 10, is one of those kids. Aware his mum wouldn’t let him make the purchases, he was wily enough to ask his grandma instead.

“Unbeknown to me, grandma and Jovan have a little system,” Jovan’s mum Vicky says, explaining how he might ask her to give him some money for a new game token.

“We have to keep grandma in check sometimes,” Vicky says.

As children spend more time and more money on their games, they amass collections of digital items that have great emotional value to them.

It’s these digital collections that hackers are targeting.

One day, when Tavion logged into Roblox, he found all his most treasured pets missing. His