ORLANDO, Fla. – Roblox is rolling out mandatory age verification requirements for users worldwide who want to message others on its platform, following mounting concerns about child safety and recent legal challenges.
The gaming platform’s new security measure comes as Florida takes legal action against the company, alleging insufficient protections for young users. Two Brevard County families have also filed separate lawsuits, claiming their young daughters were groomed and sexually exploited on the platform.
Under the new verification system, users must complete a facial scan through their device’s camera, moving their head left and right to confirm they are real people. The platform then estimates the user’s age and updates their account accordingly. The image will be deleted immediately.
[WATCH: Florida officially sues Roblox, accuses company of failing to protect minors]
“You only have to go through an age check once, unless we have any reason to believe that there’s some weird behavior on your account or someone else has potentially accessed your account for any reason,” said Eliza Jacobs, Senior Director of Product Policy at Roblox.
The age verification system will directly impact user interactions by:
- Restricting messaging capabilities to age-appropriate groups
- Limiting chat functions between users of similar age ranges
- Controlling access to certain games based on age verification results
Users can appeal the age check if it is incorrect; however, they will be asked to upload a government-issued ID. Parents must verify the age of minors.
Jacobs told News 6 Roblox has additional systems that prevent users from sharing personal information, such as phone numbers and email addresses, as well as pictures and video.
When asked about Florida’s lawsuit alleging inadequate child protection measures, Jacobs responded, “We share the Attorney General’s concerns about safety and we’re deeply committed to safety on the platform. Today’s requirement is just one component of our safety approach.”
[WATCH: Roblox is making these changes to its chat program as it faces lawsuits from Florida]
The enhanced security measures specifically target concerns about predators who might create accounts to impersonate children or teenagers. The new system aims to create safer, age-appropriate communication channels within the platform.
Jacobs encourages parents with questions or concerns to go to roblox.com/safetycenter. There is more information about how the age checks work as well as how to set up parental controls.
Roblox rolled out the age verification system in Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands in December. According to Roblox, 50% of daily active users in those countries have already completed the age check.