As a parent who uses safety and privacy settings within games sometimes otherwise known as parental controls. I wanted to pick up on an email I received this week from Epic Games titled ‘Introducing Voice Reporting in Rocket League and Fall Guys’.
If your child plays Rocket League or Fall Guys, there’s a new safety feature which could be a positive step in helping protect children from harmful online behaviour.
Epic Games has just introduced voice reporting to both games a feature children may already know from Fortnite. But what exactly is it, and how does it work?
So let’s break it down.
Voice reporting lets players submit audio clips of voice chat when they report someone for breaking Epic’s Community Rules. That means if someone is bullying, harassing, or using inappropriate language, your child (or you) can report them and actual voice chat evidence will be included for Epic’s moderators to review.
It’s designed to discourage harmful behaviour and hold players accountable which is something those of us involved in the online safety space have been calling for.
Not quite but voice reporting is always “on” in chats that include players under 18.
Here’s how it works:
The system doesn’t record everything all the time. Instead, it temporarily stores a rolling buffer of the last five minutes of voice chat.
If a player submits a report, only the most recent audio snippet is uploaded to Epic’s moderation team.
If no report is filed, the voice chat audio is automatically deleted.
So no one is listening in — but if something goes wrong, there’s a clear way to flag it.
Epic has added helpful guardrails for younger kids:
These settings can’t be changed by the child they’re built in for added protection.
Epic’s Parental Controls give you the ability to manage your child’s voice chat experience.
Here’s what you can manage:
You can find these tools by logging into your child’s Epic Games account and visiting the Parental Controls section. It’s worth reviewing these settings regularly, especially as your child gets older or starts playing new games.
👉 Find out more over at Epic’s Safety and Security Centre
Unlike in my gaming days of Super Mario Bros, online games are more social than ever which brings great opportunities for teamwork and fun, but also comes with risks. Epic’s voice reporting feature is a welcome step towards making these spaces safer for young players.
It’s not a substitute for parental involvement, though — and we know how vital and important that is.
Have regular conversations with your child about who they’re talking to, how they handle conflict online, and how to report or block anyone who makes them feel uncomfortable.
And as always — stay curious, stay involved. I’ll be sharing more gaming tips throughout the summer via the Parent App.
If you’d like tailored guidance or need to chat about specific concerns, you can also book a 1-to-1 session with me here.
You’ve got this 💪
Remember to share it with your family & friends.
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