Nintendo Switch 2 Confirms Important Child Safety Feature

Summary

The Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app now includes GameChat limits for children under 16.
The app allows parents to approve GameChat contacts and monitor activity.
Nintendo Switch 2 users will be able to use GameChat for free until March 2026.

Children will need the permission of a parent or guardian to use GameChat on the Nintendo Switch 2, according to an update to the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls mobile app. The Parental Controls app's new settings were added a week before the Switch 2 hits store shelves on June 5, providing parents with more tools to monitor what their children do on Nintendo consoles.

GameChat is one of the main selling points of the Switch 2, which allows players to join and make audio or video calls with friends while playing games like Mario Kart World or Donkey Kong Bananza. GameChat can be accessed by pressing the C Button on the right Joy-Con or Pro Controller, or via the Switch 2's main menu. Additionally, GameChat will include text-to-speech and live subtitles as accessibility options for players to utilize as needed. GameChat will launch as a free trial for all Nintendo Switch 2 users until March 31, 2026, at which point it will require a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to use.

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By Jason Fennell

Alongside requiring a unique phone number to use GameChat, Nintendo has updated its Parental Controls app to provide parents and guardians with more tools to keep their children safe online. As reported by The Verge, the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app now allows parents and guardians to set limits over who their children can use GameChat with. The Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app is free to download on supported Android and iOS devices and requires a free Nintendo Account to use. Once parental controls are activated, players under the age of 16 can only use GameChat to talk with approved friends. Permission must also be granted via the app each time a child wants to start a video chat.

Nintendo Switch Parental Controls App Now Supports GameChat Monitoring

The Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app has GameChat limits for children.
The app can be downloaded on supported iOS and Android devices.
Parents and guardians can use the app to grant GameChat permissions.
The app also shows a rundown of GameChat activity sessions.

Additionally, parents and guardians can add notes via the Parental Controls app to keep tabs on the friends their children add to their Nintendo accounts. The Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app update also provides them with a history of which friends their child has been using GameChat with, along with the duration of each GameChat session. Given that Nintendo can record GameChat audio and video for the sake of keeping a safe online environment, the Parental Controls app update adds another layer of security.

With the Switch 2 releasing on June 5, parents can familiarize themselves with the Parental Controls app update ahead of the console's highly anticipated launch. It remains to be seen how much use the updated app will get once the Switch 2 arrives.

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