Published on: November 20, 2024
Roblox announced it is introducing new safety measures for users under the age of 13. These changes include permanently disabling the option to send messages to other users outside of games on the platform.
By default, children under 13 won’t be able to send direct messages within games unless a verified parent or guardian grants permission. This means young children can still participate in public conversations within games, allowing them to interact with friends, but they won’t be able to have private chats unless their parents allow it.
Parents will have the ability to view their kid’s list of online friends and set daily playtime limits, too. To use these features, parents and guardians must verify their identity and age by submitting a government-issued ID or a credit card linked to their account.
“As our platform has grown in scale, we have always recognized that our approach to safety must evolve with it,” said Matt Kaufman, Roblox’s chief safety officer. “Our goal is to keep all users safe, no matter what age they are. We encourage parents to be working with their kids to create accounts and hopefully ensure that their kids are using their accurate age when they sign up.”
Roblox also revealed plans to simplify how content is described on the platform.
Instead of age recommendations for certain games and experiences, Roblox will introduce “content labels” that clearly explain the nature of the game. This approach allows parents to make decisions based on the maturity of their child rather than just their age.
The labels will range from “minimal,” which may include mild violence or fear, to “restricted,” which could feature mature content such as strong violence, explicit language, or realistic blood.
By default, users under the age of 9 will only be able to access “minimal” or “mild” content, though parents can give permission for them to play “moderate” games. However, a player will have to be at least 17 years old to play “restricted” games — Roblox makes sure of this by requiring age verification through the platform’s tools.