What it is
Fortnite is a game from Epic Games. Children know it for its matches, building, and constant new outfits. It also has text chat, voice chat, friend requests, and islands made by other players.
Epic has parental controls, including cabined accounts that limit what a child can do until a parent confirms the settings. Spending on V-Bucks is a separate argument from safety, and it is easier to settle before a card is saved on the device.
What to look out for
- Voice chat with strangers, or a party that "a friend of a friend" joined.
- Friend requests after a single match.
- Custom islands with chat that the main settings do not fully describe.
- Begging, dares, or "I'll gift you a skin if you..." from people they do not know.
- A payment method saved in the Epic account.
Ways to stay safe
These steps are for Fortnite. The house rules still apply on every app.
- Do not put your card details on their device. Not in the App Store, Google Play, the game, or PayPal. If you choose to pay, type the card in yourself for that purchase, then remove it.
- Set up parental controls and a cabined account where that fits their age.
- Turn voice chat to friends only, or off, for younger players.
- Do not save a card on the account. Gifts can be a planned choice, not an impulse.
- Agree that a gift from a stranger is a reason to tell you, not a reason to reply.
- Play a match with them. The social part becomes obvious quickly.
In the news
Published reports you can read yourself. A headline is the proof, not a set of instructions, and this page does not repeat graphic detail.
- Roblox and Fortnite predator jailed Police said he used those games to befriend children and message them in private.
- Fortnite, Roblox and Minecraft have child-safety gaps, Australian regulator finds The regulator said weak tools let adults contact children inside games.
A way to start the conversation
Ask who is allowed in their party and what they would do if someone they beat started messaging them afterwards. Praise the boring answer: ignore and tell you.
Video
Fortnite parent briefing
A short video for this guide can be added by an editor. Until then, the written briefing above is the one to use.