ABOUT AMONG US
Among Us is a multiplayer game of teamwork and betrayal. Players are tasked as Crewmates or the Imposter. A game will include mostly Crewmates who are tasked with activities to complete as they roam around Sky Headquarters. Imposters look like Crewmates but they are tasked with sabotaging Crewmate efforts by killing them off before the game ends. Once one Crewmate is killed, players can vote on who they are ‘suss’ on as the Imposter. The objective is to establish who the Imposter is. The chat function with Among Us provides a space for Crewmates to chat about who they think the Imposter might be. Among Us is free to download on Apple iOS and Android devices. You can also view how Among Us collect your usage data here: Among Us (innersloth.com).
WHAT ARE THE RISKS?
Harmful language: The objective of an Imposter is to kill, so conversations will lead to this theme. When in game play mode a user can click on the setting cog wheel to turn on the chat censor. This will block commonly known swear words from appearing in the chat. They will be covered with *****.
In app purchases: players may be tempted to purchase skins and accessories for their playing avatar/character.
Advertisements: players will be presented with ads before joining a game, these are unfiltered.
CAN I TURN OFF PUBLIC GAME PLAY?
CAN MY CHILD PLAY AMONG US WITHOUT CONNECTING TO STRANGERS?
Option 1: Host a PRIVATE game. It is possible to play Among us in ONLINE mode without connecting to strangers. Players can set up safe games by hosting (starting) their own games and launching it as Private. They can then share the game code with their friends. A new code is generated each time a game starts so they will need to be communicating via another platform to share codes. This means you will need to have iMessage or Facebook Kids Messenger set up to send codes to each other.
Option 2: Play LOCAL mode. Local mode allows players to connect to game servers that exist on the same WiFi network. For example anyone connected to your home WiFi (such as siblings or friends) can play together from separate devices. One player starts a local game and if the other players are connected to the same home WiFi network the game will appear in the list of available local games.
Option 3: Play solo in FREEPLAY mode. You can also enjoy playing Among us solo by playing Freeplay mode. Players are tasked with 4 challenges as they roam roll through Sky Headquarters.
HOW TO ACCESS AMONG US:
LEARN THE LINGO
Imposter – the player of a game whose object it is to sabotage Crewmates’ success and may kill Crewmates.
Tasks – A set of activities players complete throughout any given game.
Host – A player who sets up a game of Among Us for other players to join.
Maps –There are three types of maps or worlds you can play in: The Skeld, MiraHQ & Polis.
Sus – A term used in chat to highlight who you are suspicious of.
Sky-headquarters – Where you play Among Us.
Freeplay – A function in Among Us that allows you to play solo with the challenge of completing tasks onboard Sky Headquarters.
STAY SAFE
Regular, open communication is key to helping your kids stay safe online. Keep the conversation going by using our Conversation Checklist. They’re ideal for a conversation starter at the dinner table or the next time you are talking to your child about technology.
Be a great role model for your child. Work together as a whole family to set reasonable expectations for everyone to follow, and talk about why these guidelines are in place. You can use our free Digital Use Agreement to help you get started. Remember… Monkey see, monkey do.
Continue upskilling so you feel confident in supporting your child to remain safe online. Technology is ever-changing. What’s popular today will be gone tomorrow and there will be a new fad to learn about. But, you can apply safe skills and practices to any device or platform. Check out our Family Webinars and have the knowledge that you can support your family to be positive digital citizens.
