Post by : Badri Ariffin

Roblox is making significant changes to its safety protocols, declaring that minors will not be able to communicate with adult strangers on the platform. This substantial update affects the massive gaming community that boasts over 80 million daily users, with a noteworthy percentage under 13.

Beginning in December for users in Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands, the platform will mandate age verification for all accounts using chat features. The global rollout will commence in January, positioning Roblox as the first major gaming platform to enforce facial age verification for chat access.

Under the new protocol, users will need to pass a camera-based age verification within the Roblox application. The system claims to predict users' ages within a margin of one to two years for those aged between five and 25. Post-verification, players will be categorized into age groups—under 9, 9–12, 13–15, 16–17, 18–20, and 21+. Communication will be confined to similar age categories unless players opt to add one another as “trusted connections,” aimed at known acquaintances.

For children under 13, the strictest restrictions will remain in place. Private messaging and various chat functionalities will remain disabled unless activated by a parent. Roblox claims these initiatives aim to shield younger users from adult interaction, a persistent worry for families and lawmakers.

Roblox has been under scrutiny for years concerning child safety matters, currently facing lawsuits in states like Texas, Kentucky, and Louisiana, claiming it exposes minors to potential predators. Prior tests by the BBC highlighted concerns, showing that messaging between a 27-year-old and a 15-year-old was still feasible on separate devices.

Privacy is a crucial aspect of this update; Roblox asserts that all images used in age verification are processed by a third party and purged immediately after use. Parents can also manage or revise their child's information after the verification process is complete.

This announcement comes amid increasing global examination of social media safety. Australia is preparing legislation that may ban social media use for users under 16, and advocacy groups are pressing gaming platforms to strengthen their protective measures. Recently, a virtual protest within Roblox highlighted these concerns, attracting over 12,000 users to sign a digital petition for enhanced safety features.

With this new initiative, Roblox aims to ensure more age-appropriate interactions and minimize the risk of adults reaching out to vulnerable youths. These adjustments are part of the company’s effort to enhance user experience and stay ahead of evolving online safety regulations worldwide.

#Technology #Global Updates