Roblox Corp is for the first time introducing special accounts designed specifically for younger children and teens, as the company tries to head off the possibility of being swept up by various social media bans under consideration globally.
The new Roblox Kids and Roblox Select accounts will use age-verification technology or parental checks to prevent users under the age of 16 from playing inappropriate games, the company said in a statement on Monday.
Roblox already requires users to verify their ages to access chat services, and says it only allows younger users to chat with people in a similar age bracket or with approved contacts.
Roblox has become a global gaming phenomenon, offering millions of user-generated games and enabling kids and teens to play, converse online and develop titles. But the platform has struggled to keep predators away, and faces numerous lawsuits alleging that it failed to protect children. A British man was jailed last week for grooming a 14-year-old girl he met on Roblox.
Concerns over Roblox’s ability to keep its users safe coincide with broader political appetite to crack down on platforms deemed addictive for young people. Many countries around the world have moved to restrict children’s use of many digital platforms on the heels of Australia’s landmark curbs on social media, though there is debate about whether gaming services should be included.
The platform will check users’ ages and assign them the appropriate account, aiming for a full rollout in June. Anyone who doesn’t complete age verification will only be able to access the most restricted version of Roblox, the company said.
Roblox Kids is for players aged between five and eight years old and will only allow access to games with an age-appropriate "minimal” or "mild” rating. Games featuring free-form drawing, sensitive issues or social hangouts will be excluded. Chat services are off by default.
Roblox Select is for nine- to 15-year-olds and will allow access to a broader selection of games and chat services.
Age verification and grouping users by age enables "safer and more civil” experiences on Roblox, said Chief Safety Officer Matt Kaufman in a presentation on the changes.
Developers making games for children and younger teens will now need to undergo ID checks among other measures, Roblox said.
Roblox reported 144 million daily users at the end of 2025, and US$1.4bil (RM5.5bil) in revenue for the last three months of the year. About 35% of its users who have submitted to age verification are 13 years old or younger, the company said in a February shareholder letter. – Bloomberg
