Roblox unveils new parental controls, limits messaging for users under 13

Video game maker Roblox has announced new parental tools aimed at protecting its young user base, including removing the ability for those under the age of 13 to message others outside games on its platform.

However, users younger than 13 can still directly message others in-game with parental consent.

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

“These changes were developed and implemented after multiple rounds of internal research, including interviews, usability studies, and international surveys with parents and kids, and consultation with experts from child safety and media literacy organizations,” the company stated in the reveal of the new tools.

The updates are being welcomed by many parents and experts — but some also say these changes are long overdue. 

Experts have warned before that Roblox is uniquely vulnerable to adults with criminal intentions messaging children, and several claims of child abuse have been tracked to the platform in recent years. 

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

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

Matthew Johnson, director of education for MediaSmarts, said that “a lot of these features are ones that are standard in other experiences aimed at younger kids,” and that it begs the question of why it took so long.

Ultimately, it’s “a great example of how pressure from consumers” can spark change, he told CBC News. “If enough parents, if enough people speak out, these platforms, as big as they are, will change how they do business.”

A spokesperson confirmed to CBC News that the parental tools announced Monday will all be available in Canada. 

Inside the new parental controls

Prior to Monday’s update, parental controls were managed through the child’s account. Now, the company says, parents can link their account to their child’s and use remote management to adjust parental controls and view their child’s activity on the platform even if they’re physically apart, something Johnson called a “game changer.”

Parents will have to verify their account with an ID or a credit card before being allowed to link it to their child’s. They will be able to see their child’s average screen time and set daily screen time limits.

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…