Ofcom
Growing up gaming
Date
October,2026
Client
Ofcom
Ofcom is the UK’s online safety regulator, and its Growing Up Gaming report found that “stranger danger” is parents’ biggest worry about their children gaming online. BF Media was brought in to take the findings to broadcasters ahead of half-term.
Children’s gaming is a subject every family has a view on, so the story had to offer something fresh, practical and worth stopping for.
The Result
Pieces of TV Coverage
Pieces of National Coverage
Reach
Who Is Your Child Playing With?
Ofcom’s story was built around the gap between what worried parents and what they did about it. Talking to strangers was parents’ biggest gaming worry, with 64% concerned, yet fewer than half (43%) set any rules about who their child plays with. More than half of young gamers (55%) play with people they have never met. That handed presenters a ready-made question for their guest, if strangers worry parents most, why aren’t more of them setting rules?
Half-term gave broadcasters a natural reason to talk to parents about who their children play with. Ofcom’s Growing Up Gaming Report gave parents something simple to act on, with Check, Chat and Change, so the story came with practical steps as well as a worry.
Half-Term, Headlined
Tony Stower was live on Good Morning Britain by 7:20am, ensuring Ofcom’s message reached audiences early in the morning and gained immediate national attention. Throughout the day, Tony continued to deliver the message across outlets such as LBC, Sky News and a range of other media outlets, extending the campaign’s reach across multiple platforms.
