Roblox to ban young children from messaging others

Roblox, a widely popular online gaming platform, has recently announced significant changes aimed at enhancing the safety of its younger users. Starting soon, children under the age of 13 will be prohibited from sending direct messages to other players unless they receive explicit permission from a verified parent or guardian. This new policy is part of Roblox's ongoing commitment to create a safer environment for children while they engage in gaming activities. Parents will now have the ability to monitor and manage their child's account, which includes viewing their list of online friends and setting daily limits on their gaming time. According to research conducted by Ofcom, Roblox is the most favored gaming platform among children aged eight to twelve in the UK. In response to growing concerns about online safety, the company has taken these steps to ensure that children can enjoy their gaming experience without compromising their safety. The implementation of these changes is set to begin on Monday, with full rollout expected by the end of March 2025. While young players will still have access to public conversations within games, they will no longer be able to engage in private messaging without parental consent. Matt Kaufman, Roblox's chief safety officer, emphasized the importance of safety as the platform continues to grow, stating that the game is played by 88 million users daily. He noted that a significant portion of Roblox's workforce is dedicated to enhancing safety features, highlighting the company's commitment to user protection. 'As our platform has grown in scale, we have always recognized that our approach to safety must evolve with it,' Kaufman remarked. In addition to restricting direct messaging for younger users, Roblox is also introducing new tools for parents to manage their child's gaming experience more effectively. The platform will provide parents with easier access to controls that allow them to oversee what content their child can view and when they can send messages. To access these parental controls, parents will need to verify their identity and age using a government-issued ID or a credit card linked to their account. Kaufman acknowledged that identity verification poses challenges for many tech companies, urging parents to ensure that their child has the correct age listed on their account. 'Our goal is to keep all users safe, no matter what age they are,' he stated, encouraging parents to collaborate with their children in creating accounts and ensuring accurate age representation during sign-up. Furthermore, Roblox has announced plans to simplify the way content is labeled on the platform. Instead of relying solely on age recommendations for games and experiences, the company will introduce 'content labels' that clearly outline the nature of the game. This change aims to empower parents to make informed decisions based on their child's maturity level rather than just their age. The content labels will range from 'minimal,' which may include occasional mild violence or fear, to 'restricted,' which could contain more mature themes such as strong violence or explicit language. By default, users under the age of nine will only be able to access games labeled as 'minimal' or 'mild,' although parents can grant permission for them to play 'moderate' games. However, access to 'restricted' games will be limited to users who are at least 17 years old and have verified their age through the platform's tools. These changes follow an earlier announcement in November, where Roblox stated that it would prohibit players from communicating with each other through text or voice messages starting Monday. Additionally, game developers have been informed that they must specify whether their games are suitable for children and block access to games for users under 13 that do not provide this information. These measures come as online platforms catering to children in the UK prepare to comply with new regulations regarding illegal and harmful content under the Online Safety Act. Ofcom, the regulatory body overseeing the enforcement of this law, has warned that companies must adhere to these guidelines, and it will publish its codes of practice for compliance in December.