Why is Fortnite Asking Me for Parental Permission?

Fortnite is asking you for parental permission primarily because you or someone using your account has indicated an age below the digital consent age in your country of residence. This trigger prompts Epic Games to ensure compliance with global privacy laws, such as the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) in the United States and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe. These laws are designed to protect children’s data and require verifiable parental consent before allowing minors to access features that collect, use, or disclose personal information. Therefore, if the system believes a child is attempting to access certain features, it will halt the process and require confirmation from a parent or guardian.

Understanding the Need for Parental Controls

The landscape of online gaming has changed dramatically, and with it, the responsibilities of game developers like Epic Games. The goal is to create a safe and enjoyable experience for all players, which includes safeguarding the privacy of younger users. This translates to implementing measures that verify age and, when necessary, obtain parental consent.

Global Privacy Laws and Their Impact

The rise of digital privacy laws has significantly impacted how online platforms operate, especially those catering to younger audiences. These laws necessitate that companies take extra precautions to protect children’s data. This typically involves:

• Verifying Age: Asking for a date of birth is a crucial first step in determining whether parental consent is required.

• Obtaining Consent: Implementing systems for parents to grant permission for their children to access specific features.

• Data Protection: Ensuring the safe and responsible handling of children’s personal information.

Fortnite’s implementation of parental controls and age verification is a direct response to these legal requirements. Epic Games doesn’t want to be caught on the wrong side of these laws, thus, even if they are asking for parental permission from an adult user it is because an age under the legal age for your country was previously entered into the system.

Features Requiring Parental Permission

Certain features within Fortnite and the Epic Games ecosystem require parental consent due to their potential to collect or share personal information. This usually includes but is not limited to:

• Voice Chat and Text Chat: Allowing players to communicate with each other.

• Making Purchases: Enabling in-game transactions with real money.

• Sharing Gameplay Data: Collecting and analyzing player data for personalized experiences.

• Linking Accounts: Connecting Fortnite accounts to other platforms like social media.

How to Navigate Parental Permissions in Fortnite

If you are being asked for parental permission, there are steps you can take to resolve the issue.

1. Verify the Account Age: Double-check the date of birth associated with your Epic Games account. If it’s incorrect, you’ll need to contact Epic Games Support to correct it.

2. Parental Control Settings: Access the Parental Controls section of your Epic Games account through the website or the Fortnite game itself. You will likely need to set up a PIN.

3. Provide Parental Consent (If Necessary): If the account is indeed associated with a minor, follow the prompts to provide the necessary parental consent. This usually involves verifying your identity as a parent or guardian.

4. Contact Epic Games Support: If you are experiencing difficulties or believe there’s an error, reach out to Epic Games Support for assistance.

The Importance of Responsible Gaming

The conversation around parental controls highlights the broader issue of responsible gaming. It’s important for parents to be actively involved in their children’s online activities, setting boundaries, and educating them about online safety. Organizations such as the Games Learning Society contribute to research and understanding of the broader impact of games on learning and development. Visit GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more.

FAQs About Fortnite Parental Permissions

1. What is the digital consent age?

The digital consent age is the age at which a person is considered legally capable of consenting to the processing of their personal data online without parental authorization. This age varies by country. In the United States, it’s generally 13, while in many European countries, it’s 16.

2. How do I modify parental controls on Fortnite?

You can modify any Parental Controls setting by signing into the Epic Account Portal or going into the Fortnite Parental Controls menu and selecting Parental Controls. You’ll likely need your PIN.

3. How do I get parental permission on Epic Games?

To set up Parental Controls, go to your account settings via the Epic Games Launcher or the Epic Games Store website, sign in, and ensure you’re on the PARENTAL CONTROLS tab on the left side of the screen. You should see the “Set Parental Controls PIN” window. Follow the instructions to add your information and give parental consent.

4. How old do you have to be to play Fortnite without parental consent?

You have to be at least 13 years old (or such other age, if greater, as may be required in your country of residence) to be eligible to participate in Fortnite without parental consent. If you are between the ages of 13-17, you may still need permission from your parent or legal guardian depending on your region and the specific features you want to access.

5. Why is Fortnite suddenly asking for my age?

Fortnite asks for your date of birth to enable settings that ensure the best experience for all players, and to adhere to international laws. Depending on your age and the country where you live, some features or content may not be available to you until you are older or until you have permission from a parent or guardian.

6. How do I turn off parental controls on Fortnite?

To remove parental controls, you need the PIN you set up during the initial setup. Go to the Parental Controls section of your Epic Games account, enter your PIN, and then disable the features you want to turn off. If you’re using Google Family Link, you can end account supervision once the child turns 13—until then, you can only adjust the child’s Play Store restrictions.

7. Can an 11-year-old have an Epic Games account?

Yes, but if your child is under 13, they require parental consent to use certain features in the Epic Games Store.

8. How do I create a Fortnite account for my child?

Log in to your Epic account and access your Parent profile. At the top of the Parent Dashboard, click ‘Create a Profile,’ input the child’s profile name and optionally a profile PIN (Use only numerals), and click ‘Create Profile’!

9. Why did Epic Games add parental permission?

Epic asks for a date of birth and parental permission to comply with privacy laws such as COPPA and GDPR, which protect children’s personal information online. Some in-game features collect, use, and disclose a player’s personal information, and access to these features by a child requires a parent’s permission in many countries.

10. How do I turn off parent app requests?

To turn off “Ask Permission” notifications on an Android device, go to Settings, open the Android Permission Controller Application (usually under Apps and Notifications), click on the specific permission, and remove permissions. This process may vary slightly depending on your device model and Android version.

11. Is Fortnite appropriate for 10-year-olds?

The age recommendation for Fortnite is 13 and up, but each child is different. The Entertainment Software Ratings Board rates Fortnite “T” for teen, which means ages 13 and up, because of its action violence and open chat. Consider your child’s maturity level before allowing them to play.

12. What happens if I delete my Epic Games account?

If you decide to delete your account, you’ll lose all of your data and information on Epic Games, including your games, purchases, in-game content, game progress, and other data that was tied to your Epic Games account.

13. Why is Fortnite asking for a parent email?

If a player indicates they are a child, privacy laws may require a parent or guardian to provide permission for them to access an online game or service that collects personal information. The email is used to contact the parent for this permission.

14. Why did Fortnite change my son’s username?

We expect our players to follow our Community Guidelines. If your Epic Games display name has been automatically reset, it’s because you’ve violated one of these guidelines. Usernames can be automatically reset if they are deemed inappropriate or offensive.

15. Why can’t I get on over 18 sites?

For some secure sites (HTTPS) that are 18+, you might get a ‘Timed out’ or ‘No response’ message instead of our age verification page. If this happens to you, you’ll need to prove your age to get access. Click continue, or call the provided number. Once you’ve proven your age, the restrictions should be removed.

Understanding the reasoning and processes behind parental permission requests in Fortnite empowers players and parents to navigate the game safely and responsibly, ensuring a positive gaming experience for everyone.