Squid Game – rated 15+

Have you heard of Squid Game? It’s one of Netflix’s latest releases about a group of people participating in a series of life or death versions of children’s games in the hope of winning a large cash prize. This show is rated MA for mature audiences, and contains strong language and violence. Due to its current popularity, content from this show can be found on numerous other platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Roblox, so your child may come across this show without even viewing it on Netflix.

As reported in The Sydney Morning Herald on October 14, 2021, a number of primary schools from Sydney, Perth, the United States, Britain, Asia and Europe have warned parents to make sure their children do not watch this popular Netflix series, as it depicts “extreme violence and gore”, and they have found students mimicking the games in the playground.

Rose Cantali, the head of the NSW branch of the Australian Parents’ Council and a child psychologist, says ‘The concerns are that children do bring it to the playground where they do apply those types of things in their own games. This virtual gaming is very impressionable to them, they start taking on the characters and mimicking things they do. Kids are very impressionable, and with these games, sometimes they can’t see the difference between virtual and real. My advice to parents would be to watch any show that children are watching, that’s a must, and minimise any series that promotes excessive violence, and where kids can easily get involved in a character and a game.’

This warning is echoed by the Facebook group ‘Safe on Social Media’; ‘Parents should know that the level of violence is highly intense in Squid Game, and it is not suitable for young teens and primary school-age children.’

As students are soon to return to school, it is a timely reminder for us that we need to be aware of and talking to our children about what they are watching online and on TV. If your child is watching or talking about this Squid Game, it is recommended that you watch an episode. You can then make an informed decision about whether or not to allow your child to continue watching it and if you do make a decision to allow it, have a discussion with them about the themes. Also talk to your child about how playing violent games like this at school is never ok under any circumstances.