Roblox tightens age verification for children using AI.
Roblox uses AI technology and age verification to protect children, but will this alleviate parental concerns?
Roblox tightens age verification.
Roblox, the world's largest open-source gaming platform, has just announced plans to expand its age verification process.
Matt Kaufman, Roblox's Chief Security Officer, stated: "The new system will combine facial age estimation technology, ID verification, and parental consent. This approach is considered more accurate than players manually entering their age when creating an account."
Founded in 2004 by David Baszucki and Erik Cassel, Roblox has become a pioneering platform for user-generated content. With Roblox Studio, anyone can design and publish games and earn Robux from their creations.
Beyond just entertainment, Roblox is highly regarded by parents and teachers for its ability to develop programming skills, creative thinking, and digital technology knowledge. By 2024, the platform is expected to have over 380 million global users, with a market capitalization of approximately $35-40 billion.
Over 100 security updates in 2025
User safety became Roblox's top priority in 2025. The company deployed over 100 updates focused on protecting children. Among them, the Roblox Sentinel system stands out – an open-source AI tool that specializes in detecting harmful behavior and risk signs early on.
These measures aim to build trust with parents, regulators, and the community, while reinforcing Roblox's image as a safe and fun environment for children.
The controversy revolves around children and the money-making mechanism.
Despite significant improvements, Roblox still faces considerable criticism. Approximately 35-40% of its users are under 13 years old, causing parental concern about the risk of children interacting with strangers, purchasing items with real money, and playing games with inappropriate content.
Furthermore, some prominent games in Roblox have been accused of having gambling-like mechanics. For example, "Please Donate," where players wait for others to give them Robux, is said to create a psychological vicious cycle similar to gambling. Or "Adopt Me!", a game that encourages buying mystery eggs to hatch pets, has been compared to the "gacha" system in mobile games.
Roblox affirms its efforts to protect the community.
Roblox claims its platform surpasses many competitors in terms of moderation. Specifically, it monitors all text messages; prohibits direct image sharing between users; limits private and voice chat for players under 13; has filters to block inappropriate content in public chat; and allows families to adjust default settings through parental controls.
Roblox's adoption of AI and stricter censorship is seen as a major step forward, but it's unlikely to completely eliminate all concerns. The company also acknowledges that no system is perfect and it's impossible to completely remove harmful content.
