Following the introduction of optional age verification in November, which aimed to restrict interactions between minors and adults, Roblox has now started to globally enforce mandatory age checks for all users who wish to use its chat feature.
Users in countries like the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands were already required to verify their age to access chat. This requirement is now expanding to all regions where chat is available, including the United States. The article does not specify how verified users will interact with unverified users during this transition period.
Roblox states that this initiative makes it the first major online gaming platform to mandate age verification for all users to access chat. The company emphasizes that this is a significant step towards user safety, promoting age-appropriate communication, and reducing interactions between adults and minors.
After age verification, users are categorized into one of six age groups: under 7, 9-12, 13-15, 15-17, 18-20, and 21+. By default, communication is limited to players in the age tiers immediately above or below their own. For instance, a nine-year-old cannot chat with anyone over 13, while a 16-year-old can communicate with users aged 13-20.
Roblox also plans to continuously monitor user behavior to identify individuals who may be acting significantly older or younger than their verified age. Users found to be in an incorrect age tier will be prompted to repeat the age verification process.
In the countries where this system was initially implemented, over 50% of daily active users have already verified their ages. This process is described as “private, fast, and secure,” conducted through Persona, which reportedly deletes all personal images and data immediately after processing.
While the age verification itself is presented as voluntary, access to the chat feature is contingent upon its completion.
Matt Kaufman, Roblox’s chief safety officer, stated that the company’s dedication to safety aims to provide the highest level of protection for its users. He added that establishing proactive, age-based restrictions allows users to create and connect in safe and appropriate environments.
Over the past year, Roblox has consistently updated and introduced new safety features to its platform. These include adding a “sensitive issues” content tag to its experiences. Furthermore, in November 2024, protections were implemented that prevented users under 13 from accessing direct messaging on platform chats and restricted the types of messages they could broadcast within games and experiences.
