{"id":103874,"date":"2025-11-18T22:55:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T22:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=103874"},"modified":"2025-11-18T22:55:00","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T22:55:00","slug":"roblox-blocks-children-from-chatting-to-adult-strangers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=103874","title":{"rendered":"Roblox blocks children from chatting to adult strangers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Children will no longer be able to chat to adult strangers on Roblox \u2013 one of the world\u2019s most popular gaming platforms \u2013 as part of an expansion of its safety measures.<\/p>\n

Mandatory age checks will be introduced for accounts using chat features, starting in December for Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands, then the rest of the globe from January.<\/p>\n

Roblox has faced criticism for allowing youngsters to access inappropriate content and communicate with adults, and is being sued over child safety concerns in several US states.<\/p>\n

The launch also comes just ahead of\u00a0Australia\u2019s social media ban for under-16s\u00a0\u2013 the government is under pressure to include gaming platforms such as Roblox.<\/p>\n

In March, the chief executive of Roblox Dave Baszucki\u00a0told the BBC\u00a0that parents who were worried about the service \u201cshould not let their children be on [it]\u201d.<\/p>\n

However, some parents and campaigners warned children could still encounter inappropriate content or talk to adults on the platform despite existing safety measures.<\/p>\n

Rani Govender, policy manager for child safety online at the NSPCC, said young people were exposed to \u201cunacceptable risks\u201d on Roblox, \u201cleaving many vulnerable to harm and online abuse.\u201d<\/p>\n

The charity welcomed the platform\u2019s efforts but called on Roblox to \u201censure they deliver change for children in practice and prevent adult perpetrators from targeting and manipulating young users.\u201d<\/p>\n

The platform averaged more than 80 million daily players in 2024, about 40% of them under the age of 13.<\/p>\n

The facial checks uses the device\u2019s camera to estimate a user\u2019s age<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The UK\u2019s Online Safety Act has strict laws for all tech firms specifically aimed at protecting children from online harms.<\/p>\n

The communications regulator, Ofcom, is responsible for enforcing the act.<\/p>\n

Anna Lucas, online safety supervision director at Ofcom, said she was pleased about the new age checking measures.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlatforms must now take steps to keep kids safe, and we\u2019re ensuring they meet their responsibilities. There\u2019s more to do, but change is happening.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the US, Roblox is facing lawsuits in Texas, Kentucky and Louisiana over child safety concerns.<\/p>\n

Roblox says it will become the first large gaming platform to make facial age verification a requirement for accessing the chat features.<\/p>\n

Matt Kaufman, chief safety officer for Roblox, told a press briefing that the age estimation technology is \u201cpretty accurate.\u201d<\/p>\n

He claimed the system can make close estimates of a \u201cwithin one to two years\u201d bracket for users aged between five and 25.<\/p>\n

Currently, it can be used voluntarily by anyone in the world.<\/p>\n

Users who complete the process will be placed into age groups: under nine, 9 to 12, 13 to 15, 16 to 17, 18 to 20 and 21+.<\/p>\n

Players can only chat with others in similar age ranges, unless they add someone as a \u201ctrusted connection\u201d, which is a feature for people they know.<\/p>\n

Under-13s will still be blocked from private messages and certain chats unless a parent gives permission.<\/p>\n

The new approach follows concerns about adults contacting younger players.<\/p>\n

In a BBC test earlier this year, it was possible for a 27-year-old user and a 15-year-old user on unlinked devices to exchange messages.<\/p>\n

At the time, Roblox said attempts to circumvent its rules often involved users trying to take conversations to different platforms.<\/p>\n

Privacy and verification<\/h2>\n

Age checks will use facial estimation technology through the device\u2019s camera inside the Roblox app, to estimate a user\u2019s age.<\/p>\n

Images are processed by an external provider and deleted immediately after the check has been completed, according to the company.<\/p>\n

Roblox says parents will still be able to manage their child\u2019s account, including updating a child\u2019s age once verification is complete.<\/p>\n

The platform already prohibits image and video sharing in chats and heavily restricts links to external sites.<\/p>\n

The company argues the new system will offer more \u201cage-appropriate\u201d experiences across the platform, and says it expects other firms to adopt similar methods.<\/p>\n

The changes come as campaign groups ParentsTogether Action and UltraViolet stage a first-of-its-kind virtual protest inside Roblox.<\/p>\n

The group will deliver a digital petition, which has been signed by more than 12,000 people, demanding the platform adopt stronger child-safety measures.<\/p>\n

It calls for sweeping changes, declaring, \u201cRoblox must stop being a playground for predators.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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