Roblox bars users below 13 from chatting outside of games
Roblox, the popular online gaming platform, has announced a series of new safety features to protect its younger users. The changes include how players under 13 can communicate on the platform. Users will no longer be able to send direct messages (DMs) outside of games/experiences on Roblox without parental consent. The change is expected to be fully implemented by early 2025. Roblox is available on a range of platforms, including Android, PlayStation, iOS, Xbox, and Windows.
Response to child safety concerns
The introduction of these safety measures comes after recent reports highlighted cases where Roblox didn't do enough to protect kids. A Bloomberg article detailed how predators used the platform's chat feature to interact with minors, while a report from Hindenburg Research described Roblox as an "X-rated pedophile hellscape." The new chat restrictions will bolster Roblox's existing automatic chat filters preventing users from sharing personal information.
Remote parental control accounts
Along with chat restrictions, Roblox is also introducing accounts for parents and caregivers. These will let them remotely manage things like a child's screen time limits, after which the app will be inaccessible for kids. Earlier, parents had to physically access their child's account to set these controls. Now, they can get push notifications when their kids seek approval for certain actions like joining an experience with a higher maturity rating or exceeding daily screen time limits.
Age ratings replaced with content labels
Roblox is replacing age-specific ratings with content labels to describe experiences. For example, a "moderate" experience could involve elements of moderate fear or crude humor. Users under nine will only be able to access experiences labeled as "minimal" or "mild" unless they have parental permission. The platform will also restrict users under 13 from accessing social hangout experiences.
Commitment to child safety and parental control
Roblox clarifies that users under 13 will still get in-game chats as communication is crucial for gameplay. However, if they want to DM another person either inside or outside of a game, they will need parent's permission. "The reason that we've made this decision is that we've seen that some of both the content and the conduct in these experiences is more appropriate for older users and teams," said Dina Lamdany, Roblox's product lead for user settings and parental controls.
