The online gaming platform Roblox has taken firm measures to improve child safety, which has been a cause for concern among parents in recent months. With a user base made up of 40% of children under 13, the company has decided to strengthen its security controls, introducing new tools so that adults can monitor and manage their children's activity more efficiently.
In an effort to protect minors from the growing online threat And after receiving numerous criticisms, Roblox has announced a series of restrictions that affect both its chat functions and access to games for younger users.
Stronger and more accessible parental controls
One of the main new features is the introduction of remote parental controls. Parents can now link their accounts to their children's accounts, allowing them to set usage time limits, block access to certain games, and monitor activity on the platform without having to access the child's device.
The company's measures are in line with other similar measures taken by giants in the sector such as Nintendo. In this way, it is intended that guardians have greater control over the games their children can access according to their age. Children under 9 years old will only be able to play titles classified as having “minimal” or “mild” content., unless an adult gives them specific permissions to access other, more advanced types of content.
Chat restrictions to prevent inappropriate interactions
Another important measure that Roblox has implemented is the restriction on the chat function. Users under 13 will not be able to send direct messages to other players outside of games. Instead, they will need permission from an adult to do so even within games, which marks a significant change in how minors interact on the platform.
These changes will not be applied immediately across the entire platform, but will be implemented gradually through the first quarter of 2025, so that all parents can become familiar with and adapt to the new features. Security is a crucial issue for Roblox, especially following worrying reports of inappropriate use of the platform by adults with harmful intentions towards minors.
In 2023, Bloomberg reported that Authorities arrested at least 24 people for committing crimes related to the abuse and kidnapping of minors after having contacted them through the platformThis fact was a catalyst for Roblox to reinforce its protection mechanisms, seeking to prevent similar situations from happening again.
Responding to criticism and commitment to safety
Numerous users and organizations have denounced Roblox for failing to adequately protect its young audience. Reports and studies have pointed out that the platform makes it easy for adults to interact with minors without restrictions, even calling it an inappropriate space for children.
Roblox says its security measures were not motivated solely by the critical reports, but were already in development before they were published.. According to the company, These initiatives are part of its ongoing commitment to provide a safer environment for younger users.
With 88,9 million daily users by the end of September 2024, and 40% of these being under 13 years old, The urgency to improve security on the platform was imminentThe new measures are specifically designed to prevent minors from being exposed to risky situations, promoting a more controlled and supervised gaming environment.