PARENT’S GUIDE
CUBIC GAMES projects can be a great source of entertainment and learning for the whole family. We encourage parents to fully appreciate what the playing games experience encompasses. Our projects have an online element to them; allowing users to take part in leader boards, join group games, or chat to other users. Internet connectivity in a game adds a new opportunity for gamers as it allows players to find and play against, or with, other users. It is up to parents to be informed about what and how your children play and to make appropriate choices on their behalf. Hereunder we talk about tools and resources you can use to be informed about our projects and to ensure that your children’s gameplay experience is a safe and secure one.
What we are doing to ensure the safety of children
1. We do not knowingly collect or solicit personal data, or direct, or target interest-based advertising to anyone under the age of 16 or knowingly allow such persons to use our Services. If we learn that we have collected personal data about a child under age 16 without the consent of the legal representative, we will delete that data as quickly as possible. See more in our Privacy Policy.
2. We respect our users, and we put all our might into making the most fun projects for them to enjoy.
3. We want you to be in a total control of your experience with CUBIC GAMES projects. That means before you or your child download our projects, we provide you with upfront information about the project’s content.
4. If you or your child ever has any problems with our projects, we provide many tools for you to be able to quickly find out how to fix it.
What parents need to know
We process your personal data only when necessary to provide access to the Project and (or) Services, while taking reasonable security measures to protect your Data from loss, misuse and unauthorized access, disclosure, modification or destruction. We collect personal data on the following lawful basis:
• The data necessary to provide you with access to the Project or the provision of our Services on the basis of the Contract;
• The data necessary for marketing or analytical purposes on the basis of your consent.
You’ll have the option to share your email address with in case you contact our support through the in-game chat. We’ll always ask for your consent when sending direct marketing messages to your mobile device. We won’t sell or disclose your personal data to third parties for their own commercial purposes. Please find out more about our privacy and data processing practices from our Privacy Policy.
You have all the technical capabilities to determine how the Data shall be used. We are constantly improving the data management methods available to you. Please, see our Privacy Policy, to learn more about access and deletion of personal data in.
What you need to know about the gameplay
1. Age limits
We develop different projects for different target groups and our projects do not have general age limits. Please note: you cannot accept Terms of Service if you are not of legal age to form a binding agreement with CUBIC GAMES. Before using projects, please check their age limits. When you download our projects from e.g. Google Play or Apple’s App Store you will find published age recommendations in the apps description. However, these age or maturity recommendations refer only to the content suitability (similar to movie ratings G, PG or PG-13 in the U.S., but related to gameplay, animations, etc.). As these ratings are done independently by a third party without our contribution, they are not necessarily in line with our Terms of Service. Please note: By accepting Terms of Service, you acknowledge, represent and agree that you have reached the age to enter into such binding agreement in the country in which you are located or resident or that you have your parent or legal guardian’s permission if required by applicable law. You expressly represent that you are legally allowed to enter into Terms of Service and that you do not violate any applicable laws.
2. User interaction
CUBIC GAMES projects are a virtual interaction platform between users and the products of Cubic Games Studio Ltd. Our projects include social and interactive elements like chats or online competitions; project groups can be expanded or altered by downloading player-created content on the Internet.
Our projects have an in-game chat functionality. These chats do not constitute an electronic communication service (in legal terms), so messages sent within such chats should not be considered private or personal. We have RULES OF PROJECT and technical measures for managing such chats to provide a fun, safe and lawful environment for all our players. A simple rule for young people when chatting and playing with others they only know online is to stick to chatting about the game itself. If the conversation changes and becomes more personal and/or other player/s ask for things like personal information, to meet up in the offline world or for images and videos then it’s important for a child to show these messages to a trusted adult. Make sure your child knows this rule and knows that you are there to help and support them with anything that happens online.
This kind of contact from others online can be blocked. If you need to report any concerns by email, reach us at support.tos@cubicgames.com — including specific details about the player in question (e.g. screenshots of the conversation and or player profile), to help us quickly understand and identify the issue.
3. In-app purchases
CUBIC GAMES projects are free to download, offering optional “in-app purchases”. In-app purchases are never required to play the game but can be used to enhance certain gameplay elements. They are accessible “in game”, meaning that the options to make a purchase are found within the game itself. CUBIC GAMES does not process payments for in-app purchases or have access to credit card information. We don’t process payments for in-app purchases, nor do we have access to any of your payment information. Payment transactions themselves are processed through the App Store, Google Play or payment service provider (depending on your device). If you decide to make purchases for your child and for this reason add your payment information to the device, remember to adjust password protection settings, or disable in-app purchases on your own device, entirely afterwards to avoid unauthorized purchases (if applicable for your device). In-app purchase settings are different depending on what sort of device you are using. Find more information about the payment service provider and the instructions linked below:
If you want to make an in-app purchase, the only way is to buy through the game itself on your device. Beware of any third party sites that promise you enhancements for our games. These sites may collect your personal information, money, or both, and often never deliver the promised in-game products. IMPORTANT: As with anything related to the Internet, always keep your passwords to yourself and consider changing them on a regular basis. We will never ask you for your game account password(s) or credit card information. Please note: The purchase of a license for Intra-Project Values is final and is not refundable, transferable, or exchangeable under any circumstances, except as otherwise required by applicable law or refund policy of the platform. CUBIC GAMES does not give refunds for most purchases committed within the project. However, there are exceptions (for refund policy see our Terms of Service) You can also contact our support team. The support team can process refunds pursuant to this policies and applicable laws.
4. Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying, or online bullying, is when someone uses the internet to bully someone else. Cyberbullying often happens on personal devices that young people have continuous access to, e.g. a phone. This means it can happen anywhere and at any time, so it can feel like it’s hard to escape. It can be difficult to understand behaviour online and some instances may be interpreted as cyberbullying when in fact the intention wasn’t to upset or harm someone. For example, a comment made as a joke or ‘banter’ may still deeply upset and offend someone. Online bullying can leave a trail of evidence which can be helpful when dealing with the incident and reporting it.
How do I know if my child is being bullied online?
There are no conclusive signs which will tell you if your child is being bullied online. Whilst some children and young people might show obvious signs of worry or upset, these could relate to a range of issues and others might hide it altogether. However, look out for:
• Emotional anger
• Changes in mood
• Problems sleeping and eating
• Low self-esteem
• Self-harm
• Withdrawal from online activities
• Sudden changes in behaviour
• Bullying others
What are the potential effects of cyberbullying? Being the victim of cyberbullying can be very upsetting and distressing for any child or young person. Cyberbullying effects everyone in different ways and may have an impact on them later in life.
What should I do if my child is bullying others online?
• Establish the facts of what has happened. Talk about the reasons that led them to behave in such a way. Has there been a misunderstanding? Did your child feel they could act differently because they were behind a screen? Are others involved? Are they trying to justify their actions by saying it was a joke or they didn’t mean it?
• It’s important your child understands that bullying offline or online is never acceptable. Help your child understand the consequences of their actions. Talk through the impact it can have on the victim as well as the consequences for them as the bully.
• Discuss how you will move forward. Remind your child of the importance of being a good friend and using technology responsibly. Help them develop empathy for others as well has having respect for themselves. You might choose to put restrictions on their tech — such as monitoring their use until a time when they can show they can be more responsible.
Parenting Tips
We follow generally accepted industry standards to protect your private information. However, no method of transmission over the Internet as well as method of electronic storage is completely secured. Our projects can be played over an Internet connection, and what players say and do online is something that can’t be rated, or even predicted. When your child plays games online, they’re often playing with strangers. Some of them are other children, some are adult users, and like any crowd, there’s bound to be some bad. Unfortunately, the anonymity of online gaming seems to inspire some players to shout obscenities, crude sexual comments or even racial epithets. We strive to prevent this and block users for such behavior. However, all the measures we take do not remove your responsibility as a parent. A simple and effective way to get involved with your children and their lives online is through discussion. By maintaining an open dialogue with your child and encouraging them to talk to you about their internet use parents can help children access the amazing resources the internet has to offer whilst keeping them safe online.
Below is a list of things that are worth discussing with your child. Read it to help you understand how your child is using our projects.
• Have a conversation with your child about gaming With the online world being such a huge part of young people’s lives today, it’s very important that we help them to understand how to use it safely, sensibly and with an awareness of how it can impact on them. Talk about your child’s gaming habits. Encourage them to speak to you about anything that upsets them.
• Familiarize yourself with the game and its reporting options We recommend showing interest and even playing the game with your child at regular intervals. Helpful hint: go through in-game tutorials and game guides together in order to make sure you both understand how the game works. Please report to us if you find any suspect material. You can contact us in any convenient way.
• Check in-app purchase settings Get familiar with ways to restrict or turn off in-app purchases on your child’s device (if applicable for your device).
• Talk with your child about the risks of sharing information online Carefully discuss the dangers of talking to strangers online. They should develop a healthy skepticism of who they’re talking to and about what. Key things they should NOT share include: gender, age, location, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, height, hobbies.
• Report & get help If all things fail and your child runs into in-game problems, report it so we can help.
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