NEW YORK (NBC News) - A new study from tech security company McAfee finds the average child will play video games for more than two hours a day this summer.
The study shows that 92 percent of parents let kids play video games at least an hour a day, and 94-percent are concerned about the risks their children are exposed to while playing video games online, often unsupervised.
"Most parents admit that they really don't monitor as closely as they should and most parents allow kids to play games that they're not the appropriate age for," says McAfee's Gary Davis.
Exposure to violence and inappropriate content is a top concern for parents, as well as interacting with strangers in online multiplayer games, but experts say there is also a cybersecurity risk.
"Once a child says I need help in this game they go online and that's when really bad things can happen not only can they be exposed to malicious links also get exposed to viruses," Davis says.
Cybercriminals use common gaming search terms as a trap knowing children may not be as cautious as adults about links and downloads.