Roblox, the popular online gaming platform, is making significant strides to bolster child safety as it unveils new parental controls aimed at giving parents more oversight and management capabilities over their children's gaming experiences. On November 18, 2024, the company announced updates aimed at enhancing protections for young users, particularly those under the age of 13.
Parents will now have the ability to monitor their children's gaming activity remotely from their own devices instead of relying on access through the child's account. This means parents can oversee their child's gaming habits and interactions even when they're not physically together. To get this up and running, parents must link their Roblox accounts to their child's and verify their identity via credit card or other means.
These new controls allow parents to view their children's friends lists and transaction histories, impose daily screen time limits, and more. Once the allotted time is reached, children will be locked out from accessing Roblox until the next day. This is expected to mitigate instances of excessive gameplay.
Roblox has also revamped its approach to messaging. The platform will prohibit direct messaging for users under 13 by default, allowing only public broadcast messages within games. This change aims to prevent children from engaging with potentially harmful messages or users outside the safe framework of supervised interactions. Tami Bhaumik, Roblox's vice president of civility and partnerships, emphasized this point, stating, "We have turned off by default is one-to-one chat in the game experience itself."
The content maturity ratings have also been updated to provide greater specificity. Instead of just categorizing content by age, games and experiences will now be labeled according to content types: Minimal, Mild, Moderate, and Restricted. Children under nine years will only be able to access Minimal and Mild content automatically, requiring parental approval for Moderate content.
This initiative follows increasing scrutiny from watchdog groups and the media concerning the safety of children on the platform. Roblox has faced criticism for not doing enough to protect young gamers from inappropriate content and predatory behavior. Reports from organizations like Common Sense Media have highlighted alarming instances of sexual, racist, and inappropriate content being easily accessible to children through the platform, prompting demands for extensive updates to their safeguards.
Matt Kaufman, Roblox's Chief Safety Officer, stated, "Any case of a child experiencing harm through Roblox is absolutely unacceptable for us, and we’re fully committed to prioritizing their safety." This commitment has resulted from multiple rounds of research, usability studies, and consultations with child safety experts aimed at addressing these pressing concerns.
Roblox is trying to navigate delicate territory by finding the balance between providing an entertaining environment and ensuring safety for its youngest users. The platform speaks to large populations of children, and their interactions are becoming more complex and varied as the community continues to grow.
While many parents are appreciative of these updates, some experts believe more comprehensive measures are necessary. For example, David Schweidel, a marketing expert with insights on online safety, pointed out, "Parents shouldn't have to shoulder all the responsibility for these platforms. More accountability is necessary on the side of these companies to protect young users adequately."
Further measures will be important to counteract the subtle part of digital parenting—monitoring and discussing online behavior with children. Experts encourage parents to engage with their kids during gaming sessions to understand the gaming dynamics, dangers, and enjoy quality time together.
The update is also seen as part of broader changes across social media and gaming platforms, which are increasingly facing pressure to reduce risks to minors. Other social media companies, similarly, have rolled out safety measures as part of heightened scrutiny from parents, organizations, and lawmakers alike, reinforcing the need for these platforms to act responsibly.
All things considered, Roblox's recent announcement to revamp its parental controls reflects growing sensitivities around child safety and parental engagement. Whether these updates will suffice remains to be seen, as many families grapple with the reality of raising children amid rapidly changing digital landscapes. But for now, Roblox aims to turn the tide on its safety narrative, striving to create the safest possible environment for children to interact, play, and learn online.
