Social platform · High risk
Is PlayStation Network safe for your child?
Age guide
13+
We advise PlayStation Network from age 13 and up. Overall risk 8/10 (high risk).
- 5-8
- Children in this age group should have their PlayStation Network accounts heavily restricted, primarily used for offline single-player games or family-approved multiplayer with known contacts only.
- 9-12
- At this stage, children might begin to explore online multiplayer in games like Minecraft or Roblox, requiring careful monitoring of their friends lists and communication settings within PlayStation Network.
- 13-15
- Teenagers may engage with more complex online games and communities on PlayStation Network, encountering voice chat and direct messaging with a wider range of players.
- 16+
- Older teens often use PlayStation Network for competitive multiplayer, forming online squads and participating in game-specific communities, which means more exposure to diverse online interactions and content.
PlayStation Network (PSN) is an online gaming service and digital media delivery service provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment for its PlayStation consoles. It allows users to play games online, download digital content, and communicate with friends.
- Age guide
- 13+
- Overall risk
- 8/10
- Violence
- 6/10
- Toxic behaviour
- 7/10
- Stranger contact
- 8/10
- Addiction risk
- 9/10
- Language
- 7/10
- Influence
- 7/10
What parents should know
PlayStation Network is the online service for PlayStation consoles, enabling multiplayer gaming, digital purchases, and social interactions. Setting up robust parental controls, including spending limits and communication restrictions, is crucial for managing your child's experience. Regular conversations about online safety and who they are interacting with will help ensure a positive environment.
What to do about PlayStation Network
Free with a Parentwise account. The age-by-age verdict needs your child's age, which is why it lives behind the account.
- The age-by-age verdict
What we advise for under 8, 8-12 and 13+ - our age guide for PlayStation Network is 13+, and the answer changes with your child's age. - The one setting to change tonight
The exact PlayStation Network setting that cuts the most risk, with the steps to find it. - What to say
Word-for-word openers for talking about PlayStation Network without a row. - Red flags to watch for
The signals in PlayStation Network that mean it is time to step in.
PlayStation Network age rating and parents guide: common questions
What age rating is PlayStation Network?
Parentwise puts PlayStation Network at 13+. We advise PlayStation Network from age 13 and up. Overall risk 8/10 (high risk). Violence scores 6/10, language 7/10, stranger contact 8/10 and addiction risk 9/10.
Can a 10 year old use PlayStation Network?
Not by default: we advise PlayStation Network from 13+, so at 10 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. At this stage, children might begin to explore online multiplayer in games like Minecraft or Roblox, requiring careful monitoring of their friends lists and communication settings within PlayStation Network.
Can a 12 year old use PlayStation Network?
Not by default: we advise PlayStation Network from 13+, so at 12 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. At this stage, children might begin to explore online multiplayer in games like Minecraft or Roblox, requiring careful monitoring of their friends lists and communication settings within PlayStation Network.
Can a 13 year old use PlayStation Network?
Yes, 13 is at or above the age we advise for PlayStation Network (13+). Teenagers may engage with more complex online games and communities on PlayStation Network, encountering voice chat and direct messaging with a wider range of players.
Is PlayStation Network appropriate for kids?
PlayStation Network is the online service for PlayStation consoles, enabling multiplayer gaming, digital purchases, and social interactions. Parentwise rates PlayStation Network overall as high risk (8/10), with stranger contact at 8/10 and addiction risk at 9/10.
Is PlayStation Network family friendly?
PlayStation Network is one of the higher-risk titles we rate, so treat it as supervised rather than family viewing. Setting up robust parental controls, including spending limits and communication restrictions, is crucial for managing your child's experience.
PlayStation Network parents guide: what should a parent know first?
PlayStation Network is the online service for PlayStation consoles, enabling multiplayer gaming, digital purchases, and social interactions. The parts that most often catch parents out are stranger contact (8/10) and how hard it pulls for more time (9/10).
Is PlayStation Network safe for kids?
We advise PlayStation Network from age 13 and up. Overall risk 8/10 (high risk). Setting up robust parental controls, including spending limits and communication restrictions, is crucial for managing your child's experience.
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Release and popularity data comes in part from RAWG, TVMaze (CC BY-SA) and Wikidata (CC0). Safety guidance is written by Parentwise.