Among Us safeguarding risks

[Sunkisses]

Like many kids, my DC have had all the friends go crazy over Among Us, an online murder mysetery game. They can play with strangers and there is a group chat window to find out whodunnit. However, I've played it with the kids, and although it is mostly great fun I have witnessed some seriously disgusting behaviour and langauge and grooming attempts (even with the censor function switched on). Then yesterday there were articles in the Mirror and Sun about other parents who have experienced similar. I've now stopped my kids from playing it and have deleted it from all devices. I had someone tell my 10 year old they wanted to "fck her so hard". Someone told me they wanted to "pss in my mouth". Many people choose sexualised names for their characters such as "horny boy" "hot girl" or "dig bick". It's really not a game for children at all.
www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/parents-horror-kids-sent-child-23312944
www.thesun.co.uk/news/uknews/13371213/among-us-warning-videos-children/

My dd plays this game and my other dd who is 10 wants to start playing.

I will have to ask dd1 if she's had anything happen.

Why do these arseholes do this. Kids are bored enough as it is without stopping the one activity left they can do.

Can't they just play with their friends? I've never played but my friends do and I think they have private games that random people can't join.

Mine play using the private setting with their friends. Not sure that's 100% safe but no issues so far (and as they narrate every frickin second of it, I'd know).

I play it quite often with DC or alone.
Yes, this does happen particularly with the usernames but thankfully the majority of the servers I've been in have shouted this kind of behaviour down and I have seen a lot less of it recently.
Sadly, it's not as controlled an environment as other games which is a shame as it is actually quite a good game to pass time.

It is so sad, yet predictable, that there are disgusting adults who want to ruin this. Yes, you can set up private games (with a code) for yourself and friends / family. But it is a minimum of four people. Also, once the kids have the game on their tablets/phones, how do you know they aren't joining the public games with ten people (which are a lot more exciting than four player games)? I'm not sure I would want to risk it after seeing the vile behaviour multiple times, then reading about it in the Mirror and the Sun.

@kitschplease, it should be safe if they only use the Private setting. No one should be able to crash unless they have the code. The Public games can be quite horrible.