Roblox will require all users to perform age-checks to access chat from January

In response to increasing scrutiny and legal challenges regarding child safety, Roblox is set to implement required facial verification for users wishing to use its chat features, beginning in January. This initiative comes after a series of lawsuits and investigations into the platform's safety measures, particularly concerning the risks faced by younger users. Starting Tuesday, users will have the option to verify their age voluntarily, which will enhance their ability to access communication tools. However, by the first week of December, Roblox will enforce age-checks in select regions, including Australia, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. Following this trial, the age verification will be mandatory for all users globally starting in January. The decision to require age verification follows alarming reports about young users potentially encountering grooming and inappropriate content. To complete the age verification, users will need to use their device's camera and adhere to a set of on-screen instructions. Importantly, Roblox assures that any images or videos captured during this process will be deleted immediately after verification, with a third-party vendor, Persona, handling the verification process. Once verified, users will be assigned to one of six age categories: under 9, 9 to 12, 13 to 15, 16 to 17, 18 to 20, or 21 and over. Age-appropriate chat functionality will allow users to interact with others within their assigned age group and those in similar age ranges. For instance, a user identified as 12 will be placed in the 9 to 12 category and can chat with users aged 15 and younger, while users aged 16 or older will be restricted from contacting them. Raj Bhatia, Roblox’s Vice President of User and Discovery Product, emphasized that these changes aim to ensure that users can socialize within safe age-appropriate groups while limiting interactions between minors and unfamiliar adults. The new verification method is seen as a significant improvement over the previous system, where users merely provided their birth year during account creation. Matt Kaufman, Roblox’s Chief Safety Officer, highlighted that this initiative marks a pioneering step for a gaming platform in requiring explicit age verification for communication access. Additionally, Roblox is launching a Safety Center that will offer parents and guardians essential tools and guidance, including the ability to establish Parental Controls.