Surely you know WhatsApp the Facebook Messenger or Signal . But have you heard about TeamSpeak and Discord heard? If your child (or you yourself) enjoys playing computer games, you may have encountered the terms. These are programs that gamers use to communicate while playing – via chat or headset.
The English name TeamSpeak means “to speak in a group”. Mumble and Discord are also used for this purpose. To communicate with each other, each user connects to a server or creates one himself. Others can join these servers and organize themselves into channels. The players can then use these to talk (via Internet telephony or VoIP) and write (via chat) to each other. The software may be used in accordance with the European Data Protection Regulation (DSGVO) from 16 years, with parental consent from 13 years. The USK classification of the tools partly differs from the terms and conditions of the individual tools.
Playing online games is particularly appealing to children and young people when it takes place together with friends or other players. They enjoy competing with others. Although gaming often takes place alone in front of a screen, for many gamers it is part of the experience to exchange ideas during the game. TeamSpeak, Mumble and Discord are good options for this. These communication tools also work when a game is being played on the side. Since TeamSpeak and Discord are very common, young gamers can meet their friends and make new acquaintances there. The possibility to create channels publicly or privately allows communication on different levels – for private exchange as well as for information.
If your child is a gamer and wants to use one of the programs, you should decide together which one is suitable. Do some research on the offers and their security settings. If possible, try the tool beforehand. Since some programs collect personal data, you should be aware of the current data protection regulations and privacy settings.
Talk to your child about the responsible use of such programs and what dangers are involved. Personal data should not be disclosed to strangers in the chat. It is also possible to come into contact with unknown people. Agree with your child that he or she can turn to you at any time if he or she comes into contact with unpleasant or frightening content. Among other things, people with right-wing extremist views also exchange information via such platforms. You should keep this danger in mind if your son or daughter wants to use the tools.
