Parents' Guide to Avakin Life

Parents need to know that Avakin Life is claims to be for 13 and up, but is most likely more appropriate for users 17 and up. When setting up an account it checks to verify age requirements, but it's pretty easy for a savvy kid to fake their birthdate to gain access. Profiles connect through Facebook or email, and users interact with anyone else playing the game at the same time. They can add friends and then send private messages or openly chat with anyone in the same room or location in the game. Players can choose to be scantily clad, and chat is full of suggestive comments and creative profanity, since swearing is blocked by the game. The privacy policy reiterates that users must be at least 13 and specifies that any personal information shared in the game, including birth date and location, even through chat and private message, can be captured, stored, and used. This game puts most of the responsibility on users and parents when it comes to staying protected in the game. Users can block others or create a "grief report" if they feel like another user is harassing them and are given different methods of staying safe on the game, but younger players may not follow these guidelines or even be aware of them. Like many similar games, there's not much in the way of active moderation within the game, so parents are asked to set parental controls on their devices if allowing their kids to play in this digital space.