Topline
Roblox, the popular gaming platform that has garnered controversy and lawsuits in recent weeks over allegations it poses a threat to child safety, said Wednesday it is working on new initiatives to protect children online, including an age estimation feature that will limit communication between minors and adults.
Roblox announced several new child safety initiatives Wednesday. (Photo Illustration by Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Key Facts
Roblox’s chief safety officer Matt Kaufman said in a news release Wednesday the gaming platform will roll out its age estimation feature to all users by the end of this year, which measures a user’s age through facial age estimation technology, ID verification and parental consent.
Through the age estimation feature, Roblox will limit communication between minors and adults unless they know each other in real life to “provide users with access to developmentally appropriate features and content.”
Also Wednesday, Roblox said it will partner with the International Age Rating Coalition, a group of organizations that assign content ratings to video games, to add similar age-based ratings to its different Roblox experiences, some of which have spurred controversy for being inappropriate for children.
United States-based Roblox players will see content ratings assigned by the Entertainment Software Rating Board, which assigns ratings like “E” for everyone, “T” for teens and “M” for mature, or adult, users.
Roblox already used its own content maturity labels for its in-game experiences, but Kaufman said he hopes the partnership with IARC will “provide parents globally with more clarity and confidence regarding age-appropriate content.”
Why Is Roblox Facing Controversy Over Child Safety?
Scrutiny over Roblox’s protection of child users has grown in recent weeks, culminating in the state of Louisiana filing a lawsuit against the gaming platform in August. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill alleged the platform is “overrun with harmful content and child predators because it prioritizes user growth, revenue, and profits over child safety,” accusing it of lacking sufficient safety protocols. Murrill cited some user-created in-game experiences, including “Escape to Epstein Island, Diddy Party, and Public Bathroom Simulator Vibe.” Roblox also faced criticism from users in August because of its ban on “vigilante” activity, including a ban on a popular user known as Schlep, who often filmed himself catching predators on Roblox and confronting them with police. Roblox acknowledged vigilante users were “well-intentioned,” but alleged they take “actions that are both unacceptable and create an unsafe environment for users.” Roblox’s child safety policies have long faced criticism, and a Bloomberg investigation in 2024 found that police in the United States had arrested at least two dozen users accused of exploiting minors since 2018. The Bloomberg investigation included interviews with nearly two dozen employees, including one who said her team receives “far too many” reports concerning child safety for her team to address, though a Roblox spokesperson told Bloomberg it has a “robust pipeline” of safety features.
What Safety Features Does Roblox Already Have?
In his Wednesday announcement, Kaufman maintained Roblox has already been working to boost its child safety protocols, citing Roblox Sentinel, an AI-powered tool it launched this year which it says can detect early signs of child endangerment, as well as AI-powered improvements to its text and voice filters. Kaufman also said Roblox “proactively monitors all text chat on the platform,” prevents image sharing and blocks users under 13 from accessing private chats or voice chat.
Big Number
111.8 million. That’s how many daily active users Roblox said it had during the second quarter of 2025, 36% of whom were under 13.
Further Reading
Louisiana Sues Roblox As Controversy Over Child Safety And Banning ‘Vigilante’ Users Grows (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2025/09/03/roblox-adds-new-age-estimation-feature-as-controversy-over-child-safety-grows/
