Players aged 13 to 17 who want to use the new “Trusted Connections” feature will need to confirm their age via a video selfie. This requirement, announced by Roblox, is part of a series of updates to strengthen safety and privacy on the platform.
How Does It Work?
Roblox uses AI (through the Persona system) to estimate a user’s age and assign them to an age group. Once verified, teens will be able to:
- Add each other as Trusted Connections, allowing them to chat and use voice chat without restrictions (though Roblox will still monitor conversations to prevent harassment).
- Add adults over 18, but only in person via QR code scanning or contact imports.
If the system fails to determine age, users can verify with an ID document. In the future, parents will also be able to confirm their child’s age.
Why This Change?
Roblox aims to reduce risks, such as contact with predators, who have historically tried to lure minors to external platforms (like Discord). In 2023, the company faced a class-action lawsuit over exposing children to inappropriate content, though it denied the allegations.
Matt Kaufman, Roblox’s safety director, explained that this feature discourages teens from moving conversations off-platform, where safeguards are weaker.
Other Safety Updates
- Enhanced parental controls: Parents can monitor their child’s connections, screen time, and receive alerts for financial transactions.
- Privacy management: Users can enable “Do Not Disturb”, set daily time limits, and hide their online status.
- Chat filtering: Until now, all private messages were screened to block inappropriate language and personal data.
With these measures, Roblox seeks to balance social interaction and safety, especially for its younger audience.
By: Nestor Castillo, ForAllTechNews Director