Roblox Introduces New Safety Features For Kids Under 13
Parents can now remotely manage friend lists, spending limits, and screen time.
By Sukhbir Cheema — 20 Nov 2024, 10:14 AM
Roblox is rolling out tighter safety measures for users under 13, addressing growing concerns over child safety on its platform
The updates include removing the ability for these users to permanently send messages to others outside of games.
In-game messaging will still be allowed but only with parental consent.
The company is also giving parents more control over their children's accounts.
In an announcement via Roblox's blog, the company's Chief Safety Officer Matt Kaufman said these changes were developed and implemented after multiple rounds of internal research. This included interviews, usability studies, international surveys with parents and kids, and consultation with experts from child safety and media literacy organisations.
Parents can now remotely manage friend lists, spending limits, and screen time
The new safety features aim to create a more transparent experience for caregivers.
To help young users navigate content safely, Roblox is replacing its age-based content labels with clearer descriptors such as "Minimal", "Mild", and "Restricted.
Children under 9 will only access "Minimal" or "Mild" experiences by default, while users under 13 will be blocked from discovering unlabelled or more mature content. Restricted content remains off-limits until users verify they are at least 17 years old.
These updates come as Roblox grapples with allegations of child exploitation and unsafe user-generated content
In 2022, a lawsuit in San Francisco accused the platform of facilitating the exploitation of a young girl. More recently, Turkey blocked access to Roblox while investigating abuse linked to user content.
Despite these challenges, Roblox remains a giant in the gaming world, reporting 89 million users last quarter.
The company hopes these measures will reassure parents while keeping the platform engaging for its younger audience.
