Roblox now bringing parental controls for young users: Here is why
Follow UsRoblox introduces Roblox Kids and Roblox Select age-based accounts.
New accounts launch in early June for users under 16.
Enhanced parental controls allow for game blocking and chat management.
Roblox, the online gaming platform, is known for its games among young children. While the platform is very popular due to the wide variety of games it offers, there have been a lot of issues that plague the service. These issues are mainly related to children’s online safety. To tackle this issue, the company has announced a major update to its platform safety with the introduction of age-based accounts and enhanced parental controls. Starting in early June, the platform will roll out two new account types specifically designed for younger audiences in mind. Let’s take a look at how the new features work.
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New account system for children
First and foremost, a major update has been made to the account system of the platform. It has mainly been done so that the platform can align content access and communication settings.
They’ve introduced something called ‘Roblox Kids’ for ages 5 to 8, and these accounts are limited to games with “minimal” or “mild” content maturity labels. To prioritise safety for kids, all communication features are disabled by default. The app will also feature a distinct background colour to clearly identify the account type.
For older children aged 9 to 15, they’ve introduced Roblox Select. Users in this bracket can access games rated up to “Moderate”. While communication defaults remain the same as previous settings, the account will have a unique visual treatment within the app.
As per Roblox, users will automatically progress through these account tiers as they age, eventually transitioning to a standard Roblox account at age 16. Those who have not completed an age check will be restricted to the most limited settings by default.
Enhanced parental control
Along with the new account system, they’ve also introduced support for enhanced parental control. The update grants parents more control over their child’s Roblox account. Key new features include the ability to block specific individual games and manage direct chat settings until a child turns 16.
Additionally, a new “Granular Game Approval” tool has also been introduced that allows parents to manually approve access to specific games that might otherwise be restricted by the child’s default account tier.
Changes to Roblox game verification
Last but not least, Roblox is also implementing a three-step evaluation process to determine which games appear in the catalogues for users under 16. This includes things like developer verification, where creators must complete ID verification and maintain a Roblox Plus subscription.
Along with that, there’s real-time monitoring, where the platform will analyse how older users interact with games and monitor reports to assess suitability for younger children. They’ve also introduced something called ‘default exclusions’, which would exclude accounts from games that feature things like free-form drawing, social hangouts, or other sensitive issues.
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