Roblox to require age checks to use platform's chat features

Gaming platform Roblox will require users to verify their age using facial recognition software to chat with other players, a company executive said, with the goal of limiting communication between kids and adults on the platform.

The company announced the new requirement amid criticism from government officials across the world that Roblox’s platform failed to protect its young users from child predators and sexual exploitation. In the US, Roblox is also facing lawsuits from attorneys general in Texas, Kentucky and Louisiana, as well as private plaintiffs, over child safety concerns.

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Roblox will require users to take a selfie and will use that image to estimate their age, said Matt Kaufman, the company’s head of safety. The users will then be assigned to an age group, he said. They will only be allowed to communicate with other users in their assigned age group, such as ages 9-12 or 13-15.

“Policymakers struggle with a lot of companies who say ‘that's just too hard. We couldn't do it,’” Kaufman said. “Roblox is trying to set an example of what others can follow.”

The company will roll out the requirement in Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands in December. It will apply to users in other countries beginning in January. Australia passed a law last year banning users under 16 from setting up social media accounts. Roblox is not included in that effort.

The company averaged 151.5 million daily active users in the third quarter, according to an October filing. It is among the most popular destinations for kids online.