Roblox introduces new parental controls to tackle child safety concerns
Parents can now monitor interactions, limit screen time, and block inappropriate content as Roblox strengthens safeguards for young users.
Roblox, the UK’s most popular gaming platform for children aged 8 to 12, is introducing new tools to help parents monitor and manage their children’s activity. The update comes in response to growing concerns over online safety, including warnings about grooming, exploitation, and inappropriate content.
What is Roblox?
Roblox is a popular online gaming platform that allows users to create, share, and play games within virtual worlds. With more than 90 million daily users worldwide, it is especially beloved by children and tweens. Players can access over six million games, ranging from creative adventures to social hangouts.
However, concerns have mounted over harmful content on the platform, including games with violent or inappropriate themes and risks of children being targeted by predators. In response, Roblox is rolling out new parental controls to address these issues and align with upcoming UK Online Safety Act regulations.
What new controls are being introduced?
From Monday, parents will be able to access a dedicated dashboard via their own account. This feature allows parents to:
- View their child’s daily screen time and activity over the past week.
- Monitor their child’s online friends.
- Set screen time limits and content maturity settings.
To activate these controls, parents must verify their identity using government-issued ID or a credit card.
Matt Kaufman, Roblox’s chief safety officer, explained, “As our platform has grown in scale, we have always recognised that our approach to safety must evolve with it.”
Protecting younger players
Roblox has tightened age-specific restrictions to protect younger users:
- Under 9s: Access limited to “minimal” or “mild” content, featuring low levels of unrealistic violence or fear.
- 9–12-year-olds: Can play “moderate” content only with parental approval. This category may include some more realistic depictions of violence.
- Under 13s: Banned from private messaging by default. Public in-game chats will remain accessible but monitored.
Starting 3 December, all new games must specify age suitability before they are released. Games awaiting review will be blocked for under-13s.
Tackling harmful content
Roblox has faced significant criticism for its safety practices. In October, an MP revealed that volunteer moderators had banned over 14,000 accounts for activities related to child grooming and the sharing of indecent images.
Last month, a report by Hindenburg Research accused Roblox of hosting inappropriate content, calling the platform “an X-rated paedophile hellscape.” Roblox has rejected these claims, describing safety as “foundational” to its operations.
To address risks, Roblox employs automated software to flag harmful behaviour and vet content, such as images, audio, and 3D models. These measures are designed to remove breaches of community standards quickly.
Simplifying age ratings
In a move to empower parents further, Roblox is replacing traditional age ratings with content labels. These will provide clearer descriptions of game content so that parents can make decisions based on their child’s maturity rather than just their age.
Content labels include:
- Minimal: Mild violence or fear (e.g., basic action games).
- Mild: Unrealistic violence or low-level fear.
- Moderate: More intense experiences, including realistic depictions of violence.
- Restricted: Reserved for players aged 17+ and requires age verification for access.
Why these changes matter
The updates coincide with stricter UK regulations under the Online Safety Act. Starting December, platforms like Roblox will be required to block harmful content and implement child safety measures or face penalties.
Peter Kyle, the secretary of state for science and technology, stated, “I expect that company to do better in protecting service users, particularly children.”
Roblox’s enhancements aim to meet these expectations while maintaining its position as a safe and fun space for children to play, learn, and socialise.
As Dina Lamdany, Roblox’s senior product manager, explained: “We hope this encourages parents to have conversations with their kids about who they’re spending time with on Roblox.”
What can parents do?
Parents concerned about their child’s safety on Roblox should:
Verify their child’s account details to ensure the correct age is listed.
Regularly check the parental dashboard to monitor activity.
Engage with their children about safe gaming habits and appropriate online behaviour.
With these changes, Roblox is making strides to reassure parents that their children can enjoy gaming in a safer, more controlled environment.
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Authors
Ruairidh is the Digital Lead on MadeForMums. He works with a team of fantastically talented content creators and subject-matter experts on MadeForMums.
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