Online Safety & Privacy
At Nintendo, we want to create experiences that put smiles on faces, and we believe those smiles are for everyone. We also believe that the best experiences happen when we all work together to keep online interactions safe, inclusive, and fun for all. Keep reading for our best practices for online gaming.
How can parental controls help create a positive gaming experience for my child?
Children need different levels of oversight online as they grow up. We understand those changes can be difficult for parents to navigate. The information shared here is offered to help parents decide what works best for their family. This can be a good opportunity to teach older kids about good digital citizenship.
Some families agree upon rules that guide their family’s gaming experiences and prefer not to use technical controls. For families who prefer closer oversight, Nintendo Switch parental controls are easy to use and let you take control of what your child can (and can’t) do on their system. You can set restrictions through the Nintendo Switch system or with the more extensive Nintendo Switch Parental Controls smart device app*. For more details, check out the Parental Controls section of Tools for Parents.
How can I help my child keep their personal information private online?
Talk to your kids about limiting what info they share online. Players should never share their real name, address, or contact information such as email address, phone number, or social media handles when playing online. Gamer handles, nicknames, or online names shouldn’t include any personally identifying information (such as their age or actual name) or any contact information.
GameChat** is a new feature of the Nintendo Switch 2 system that allows players to communicate with friends and family while playing a game. Parent or guardian approval is required for players aged 15 and younger to use GameChat. You'll need to connect the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app to your Nintendo Switch 2 system and work with your child to follow the steps on screen to get things set up. Your child can only chat with friends you approve, and you can view your child's chat history to see who they played with and for how long.
For more information about fun ways to incorporate GameChat into your family's gaming experience, please visit Play Together.
How can I implement best practices for my child’s online play?
Online interaction is one of the biggest concerns facing parents today. You can use parental controls to restrict what your child can do online. For older children, you may prefer to not restrict online interaction and instead focus on teaching them how to interact safely online. Friendships formed online are becoming a normal part of today’s world so understanding how to do that safely is a key part of using technology.
Talk with your child to understand who they are connecting with when they play. Be sure to have a shared understanding of how to handle friend requests from unknown users, how to accept or reject friend requests, and how to block users. Let your kids know that they don't have to accept a friend request if they don't want to. This can be a conversation starter about what your kid is up to and getting to know how they interact with friends.
If you have approved your child's use of GameChat on Nintendo Switch 2 by setting up the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app, talk with your child as you review their requests to connect with friends in GameChat. Once you have approved your child's friend for GameChat, you can use the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app to see their chat history with your child, such as how long they talked and when. A compatible USB camera needs to be connected to Nintendo Switch 2 for GameChat players to video chat, and parents of players aged 15 and younger will need to approve every video chat session.
Invitations to move to another platform where open communication or sharing of photos/videos can occur should be declined or handled very carefully, and with parental involvement.
What should my child do if they experience disruptive behavior while playing online?
Encourage your child to speak up if they notice disruptive or suspicious behavior by other players including cyberbullying and harassment. Nintendo’s Community Guidelines outline the behavior we expect of our players, and we take our responsibility to uphold these guidelines seriously. Players who are experiencing disruptive behavior should use the in-game reporting tool to report the incident to Nintendo, and also block the user from further interaction.
The reporting feature in GameChat on Nintendo Switch 2 can be accessed by pressing the C Button on the Joy-Con 2 controller (R). Learn more about GameChat and other Nintendo Switch 2 features here.
What should parents know about GameChat?
GameChat is a feature of the Nintendo Switch 2 system that allows you to communicate using voice or video chat while enjoying games with friends and family, even if you’re miles apart.
A parent or guardian needs to be involved in the set-up and use of GameChat by players aged 15 and younger and for all supervised accounts. It's only possible for younger players to use GameChat with people who have been approved by their parent or guardian.
GameChat also supports video chat using a compatible USB camera. Permission is required from a parent or guardian every time younger players want to use video chat to ensure family rules about use of video sharing are followed. When players aged 15 and younger start a video chat, a request will be sent to your Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app. The video chat can only proceed if you approve it.
The Nintendo Switch Parental Controls smart device app allows you to view your child's chat history, including who they played with, for how long, and the camera's field of view setting if video chat was allowed.
Visit Parental Controls to learn more >
What are some of the best practices for using the GameChat feature?
GameChat is all about connecting together to share your experiences. Check out what your crew is playing, give some timely advice if your friend is stuck on a puzzle, or bring some lively excitement to your cooperative (and competitive) matches.
Your involvement in your child's use of GameChat plays an important role in helping them have a great online experience. We encourage you to ask questions about the friend relationship before you approve it. Is it a friend from school? A friend from sports practice? You can add a note in the app about who the friend is so you know for next time.
Parents should also help younger players understand the Nintendo of America Community Guidelines, which outline our expectations for player behavior. To report a situation that doesn't comply with our community guidelines, the player can press the C Button on the Joy-Con 2 controller (R) and choose "report". We take reports seriously, and they play a key role in helping us keep our communities safe. Parents should keep open communication after their child has submitted a report, and be sure to encourage their child to speak with a parent, guardian, or other trusted adult about the situation.
Please impress upon your child not to submit false or frivolous reports as those may result in restricted use of GameChat and other online services.
If you connect a compatible USB camera to your Nintendo Switch 2 and approve use of the GameChat video feature, choose the camera’s field of view setting carefully to fit your family's comfort level. If you allow full room, your child can choose a more restrictive setting if they prefer; but if you only permit face, they cannot change the setting to allow a wider field of view. Permission is required from a parent or guardian every time younger players want to use video chat to ensure family rules about use of video sharing are followed. When players aged 15 or younger start a video chat, a request will be sent to their parent or guardian's app. The video chat can only proceed if you approve it.
For more information, please visit the GameChat site.
For additional information, please visit these helpful sites:
ESRB – Parental Tools
Family Online Safety Institute
*Nintendo Account, persistent internet and compatible smart device required. Data changes may apply.
**Internet, Nintendo Switch Online membership and Nintendo Account required for online features, including GameChat. Compatible USB camera required for video features. Not available in all countries. Terms and GameChat requirements apply. support.nintendo.com Games, systems, memberships and some accessories sold separately. Until March 31, 2026, GameChat can be used without a Nintendo Switch Online membership. Afterwards, a Nintendo Switch Online membership will be required to use GameChat.