Roblox now requires all users to complete age checks for chat access, boosting safety amid ongoing lawsuits and child safety concerns.
San Mateo: Roblox has started requiring all users to complete age checks to use chat features. This change is happening because of recent lawsuits about child safety. Roblox first tried this in a few areas last month, and now it’s global.
To finish the age check, users must open the app and allow the camera to take pictures. After some instructions on the screen, their age will be verified. Roblox removes all photos and videos after this process. They work with a company called Persona to do the age checks.
If someone is 13 years old or more, they can choose to verify their age using an ID instead of facial verification. While these age checks are optional, users need to verify their age to chat. So, if you just want to play Roblox without chatting, you don’t need to verify your age.
If a user feels their age has been guessed wrong, they can ask for a review of the decision. They can verify again using an ID or get help from their parents. Roblox wants to keep kids safe and check if users act older or younger than they should.
Once the age check is done, users can chat within their age group. There are six age groups, and users can chat with those in nearby groups. For instance, those aged 9-12 can chat with others in their group and nearby ages. Roblox keeps chat off for kids under 9 unless their parent allows it.
This new age check comes after serious concerns about child safety on the platform. Roblox is facing lawsuits from Texas and Louisiana, claiming that young users might face risks like grooming and inappropriate content. Roblox believes this new age check method will be better than just asking users for their birth years.