Popular online gaming platform Roblox is set to introduce mandatory facial verification for all users wishing to access its communication features, with a global rollout planned for January. This significant update comes in response to a series of lawsuits and investigations concerning the platform's child safety protocols.
The decision follows multiple legal challenges, including actions from the attorneys general of Texas and Louisiana, which accuse Roblox of prioritizing profit over child safety. These lawsuits emerged after reports highlighted how Roblox was allegedly exposing young users to serious risks such as grooming and explicit content.
The rollout of this new age-check system begins voluntarily this Tuesday, allowing users to proactively verify their age to secure access to communication features. In the first week of December, Roblox will start enforcing the requirement in specific markets, including Australia, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. By January, the mandatory age verification will be enforced globally for all users seeking to access chat functionalities.
To complete the age verification process, users will be prompted to open their device's camera and follow on-screen instructions for facial verification. Roblox has stated that all images and videos captured during this process will be deleted once verification is complete. The verification itself is handled by a third-party vendor, Persona, which also commits to deleting user data after processing.
Upon successful age verification, users will be assigned to one of six distinct age groups: under 9, 9 to 12, 13 to 15, 16 to 17, 18 to 20, and 21 plus. This new system will enable age-based chat, allowing users to communicate only with others within their own or closely related age brackets.
For instance, a user estimated to be 12 years old and assigned to the 9-12 group would be able to chat with users up to 15 years old, but explicitly prevented from communicating with anyone aged 16 or older.
“We see these changes as a way to help ensure users are able to socialize with others in age groups that are appropriate, but also help limit contact between minors and adults that they do not know,” said Raj Bhatia, Roblox’s VP and head of user and discovery product, during a recent briefing.
The company believes this new age-check requirement will provide a more accurate way to verify users’ ages compared to simply relying on self-reported birth years during account creation.
“We believe that this is something that is first for a company like Roblox in the gaming space and social media and messaging to require explicit age estimation before anybody has access to communication,” added Matt Kaufman, Roblox’s chief safety officer.
Beyond the new age verification, Roblox is also launching an updated Safety Center. This resource will offer comprehensive guidance and tools for parents and caregivers, including enhanced parental control options, further bolstering the platform's commitment to user safety.
