In 2020, smartphone and tablet users spent a global total of around £330 million on downloading apps over the Christmas period. The following year, the UK alone saw almost seven million video games being given as gifts. The holiday season, in short, heralds a major spike in young people encountering new games and apps for the first time.

So far, so festive. And although games and apps mainly offer harmless fun, there are still risks to remain aware of – from realistic violence in this year’s must-have shooter to contact from strangers on the latest networking platform.

Millions of new phones, tablets, laptops and games consoles will be nestling under Christmas trees this year. However, even if parents and carers have gone to the trouble of setting up these new devices and enabling the safety features, there are still potential hazards in the apps, games and software that children will want to install and use. Knowing what to look for and discussing those risks with your child may help avoid any nasty surprises this Christmas. Here are our top tips for ensuring that unwrapping this year’s presents doesn’t unleash any unexpected dangers.

In the guide, you’ll find tips such as disabling in-app purchasing, take note of age ratings and watching out for imitators.