New Age-Based Categories Aim to Tackle Child Safety Concerns at Roblox

Roblox is doubling down on its quest to appear less of a child safety nightmare by introducing new kid accounts in its platform update this June. The company has announced the launch of two distinct age-based account categories designed to better align content access, communication settings, and parental controls with a user’s actual age. These initiatives represent the latest chapter in Roblox's ongoing efforts to scrub clean its really-quite-awful reputation for child safety failures and controversies.

Targeted Restrictions for Roblox Kids and Roblox Select

The two new account types are specifically named Roblox Kids, intended for five to eight-year-olds, and Roblox Select, targeting nine to 15-year-olds. Roblox Corp states the primary goal is to "more closely align content access, communication settings, and parental controls with a user’s age." Users will be assigned to these categories either through Roblox's facial age estimation check or via verification by a parent. Once categorized, players face specific limitations designed to create a safer digital environment:

  • Roblox Kids (5–8 years): Restricted to games with a "Minimal or Mild content maturity label," with all communication disabled by default. Chat can be re-enabled only through a linked parent account.
  • Roblox Select (9–15 years): Granted access to content with a Moderate content maturity label, while keeping default communication settings unchanged.

However, the safety net does loosen as users age; once kids in Roblox Select turn 13, Roblox's "full suite of parental controls" becomes less comprehensive. Despite this reduction, the company promises that "Certain controls and visibility into kids' accounts" will remain available until they age out of the Roblox Select category entirely.

Stricter Evaluation Criteria for a Healthier Platform

To further enforce safety standards, Roblox Corp is employing additional evaluation criteria to assess games before automatically making them available to kid accounts. These measures include developer verification and "real-time evaluation," which appears to involve analyzing user reports to determine game suitability. Parental controls are also being beefed up with more granular options for guardians to manage their children's experiences.

The corporation claims its big dream is "to become the world’s healthiest platform for users of all ages." This ambition marks a significant pivot from where Roblox currently stands, given the numerous stories of child safety failures we have covered regarding the CEO describing its predator problem as "an opportunity." If Roblox truly wants to clean its image and succeed in this quest, it still has a long row to hoe.