IT expert shares 'two red flags' to be aware of if your child plays Minecraft (2025)

Ben Gillenwater shared his concerns over Minecraft, the popular video game, which was released in 2011 and has sold over 300 million copies

Since its launch in 2011 by Swedish developer Mojang Studios, Minecraft has captured the hearts of both children and adults worldwide. Remarkably, the game, a mix of sandbox and survival genres, has become the best-selling video game ever, surpassing the milestone of 300 million sales in October 2023.

This year also saw the debut of A Minecraft Movie and an accompanying promotional crusade with McDonald's that further bolstered its popularity even further amongst gamers.

Minecraft can be enjoyed across various platforms - Windows PC, Mac, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation consoles, and major mobile devices. In its 3D blocky world, players mine for resources, which they then use to craft tools, build structures and create complex machinery. In doing so, it offers distinct modes, where players can either collaborate or compete with each other in its multiplayer environment setting.

Now, Ben Gillenwater, an IT expert and father, has issued a cautionary message about the game on TikTok, drawing attention to two possible "red flags" in Minecraft. Ben, who runs a website dedicated to assisting families in safely navigating the digital age - addressed concerns about the game's safety for kids in a video response: "Today I'm answering the question I get asked all the time, is Minecraft safe for kids? The short answer is yes, but with some very important caveats that make a big difference."

In an insightful commentary, Ben highlighted the risks associated with online gaming, cautioning: "When evaluating any game, watch for two major red flags. First, anonymous online chat - this is the primary channel that predators use for 'sextortion'. Second, anonymous user-generated content - this can expose kids to sexual and violent material."

Yet, when it comes to the popular game Minecraft, Ben noted that it was crafted with the safety of young users in mind, especially as its default settings for players under 13 have chat and multiplayer features automatically disabled to protect them. Despite this, he revealed that there are two versions of Minecraft - Java and Bedrock - to be wary of.

"Java, the original version is not integrated into Microsoft's safety system is inherently riskier, whilst Bedrock, the modern version is integrated with Microsoft's family controls making it much safer," Ben advised. It's important to note that while most systems run Bedrock, Mac devices are limited to Java only.

Ben stressed the importance of correct account setup for children: "The most critical step is setting up your child's account properly," he said. "Create a Microsoft account for both yourself and a child account that you manage. This prevents your child from creating their own account using a fake birthday."

And for an extra layer of security, Ben recommended visiting account.xbox.com/settings to adjust privacy settings accordingly. There, parents should alter the 'Others can communicate with voice, text or invite' setting and the 'Others can see if you're online' setting, switching them from 'Friends' to 'Blocked' for better protection.

Ben also offered a suggestion for parents worried about online safety: "When your child wants to play with friends, consider Minecraft Realms - Microsoft's controlled multiplayer experience. Realms are private, subscription-based servers where strangers can't randomly join. Players can only be added upon specific invitation by the Realm owner."

He noted, meanwhile, that settings can be tweaked as children grow and become more mature. Parents on TikTok reacted to Ben's guidance, with one user commenting: "This is fantastic advice but it strikes me that many parents are very naïve to the risk and would struggle to follow the process you talked through."

Another parent mentioned their own approach: "Ours have just started playing on a Bedrock Realm, but we keep an eye on who is added so it's just them and a few close friends for now." A third person thanked Ben saying: "Thank you for explaining so detailed." Whilst a fourth person admitted: "I need to pay attention to this and go through it all."

Microsoft, which handles press enquiries for Minecraft, has been invited to comment on the issue.