Roblox prohibits children under 13 from participating in social activities and unrated games due to child safety concerns

Roblox, one of the world’s largest online gaming platforms, is tightening its rules to limit younger users’ access to certain interactive spaces. According to the company’s announcement on the developer forum, starting November 18, children under the age of 13 will not be able to participate in “social hangouts” on the platform, where the main purpose is to interact with other people. Use via text or voice chat. Additionally, children in this age group will be limited to participating in “freeform 2D user creator” spaces, which allow for open-ended actions such as drawing on a virtual whiteboard.

Roblox age-based access to unrated games

This initiative marks a change for Roblox as it faces scrutiny over its child safety practices. A recent wave reportincluding one from Bloomberg, alleges that the platform’s open social space puts minors at risk of inappropriate content and interactions. In response, Roblox is also taking steps to prevent children under 13 from accessing unrated games. Come December 3, the platform will roll out a system where creators must fill out a questionnaire about their content if they want it to be accessible to young audiences. These new age restrictions will only apply to experiences that fit Roblox’s “All ages” or “9 plus” rating.

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Ongoing efforts to increase child safety

For babies, Roblox will still provide access to games that involve role-playing situations such as police and race car drivers. However, social hangouts and any content without an official rating will be banned. These changes are part of Roblox’s broader effort to improve its reputation for child safety. Following media criticism, Roblox sent an email in October to parents stating that children under 13 would need parental permission to use chat and browsing functions. Access games with moderate violence or crude humor.

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The platform has introduced additional protections, such as a new account type for minors, allowing parents to monitor their children’s activities on the platform more closely. These measures are intended to ensure that Roblox provides a safer environment for young users and address concerns about Roblox’s responsibility to monitor the interactions and content young players encounter on the platform. network.