Gaming platform Roblox tightens messaging rules for users under 13

• Roblox is introducing new safety measures to prevent users under 13 from directly messaging others without parental consent.
• The platform will allow parents to remotely manage their child’s account, including viewing friend lists, setting spending controls and managing screen time.
• Roblox has faced allegations of child abuse on its platform, including concerns over user-generated content.

Video game maker Roblox said on Monday that it is rolling out safety measures to prevent users under 13 from directly messaging others without parental consent.

The gaming platform, which reported around 89 million users last quarter, said it will allow parents and caregivers to remotely manage their child’s Roblox account, view friend lists, set spending controls, and manage screen time.

Roblox has faced claims of child abuse on its platform.

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In August, Turkey blocked access to Roblox following a court order, as prosecutors investigated concerns about user-generated content potentially leading to abuse.

David Baszucki, founder and CEO of Roblox, presents at the Roblox Developer Conference on Aug. 10, 2019, in Burlingame, California. (Ian Tuttle/Getty Images for Roblox / Getty Images)

A 2022 lawsuit filed in San Francisco claimed that Roblox facilitated the sexual and financial exploitation of a California girl by adult men, allegedly encouraging her to drink, abuse prescription drugs, and share sexually explicit photos.

The company said it has also introduced a built-in setting that will let users under the age of 13 access public broadcast messages only within games or experiences.

Roblox gift cards are seen at a store in Krakow, Poland, on July 5, 2023. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Roblox will replace age-based content labels with descriptors ranging from “Minimal” to “Restricted,” indicating the type of content users can expect. By default, users under nine can only access games labeled “Minimal” or “Mild.”

These new restrictions will also prevent users under 13 from searching, discovering, or playing unlabeled experiences, the company said.

The Roblox app is seen on a smartphone in New York on Nov. 7, 2023. (Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

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Restricted content will remain inaccessible until a user is at least 17 years old and has verified their age.