Roblox (one of the biggest online gaming apps) has over 111.8 million active users daily, and 91.8 million of those users are under the age of 18. With so many young people using the app, safety is a primary concern.
It is important to note that Roblox has many safety features, not just for teens but for parents as well. These include parental controls, chat filtering, reporting tools, age-appropriate categories, educational resources for parents, community standards, and account security with two-step verification.
Even so, many parents worry.
“I feel like Roblox has all these safeties, but kids are getting smarter and learning how to bypass all these restrictions,” said one father of a seventh-grade student.
Some kids may use voice chat to communicate verbally, making it harder for moderators to monitor conversations. Others fake their ages to access games meant for older players or use voice-changing software to sound older during chats or create new accounts to bypass bans or restrictions. These tricks allow them to pass detection by automated safety systems.
“If kids keep finding new ways to avoid the rules, we have to ask, ‘How can we make Roblox safe for everyone before it’s too late?’” said one seventh-grade mom.
With all of these loopholes, even young users are worried.
“I have concerns about older people playing Roblox,” said Paola De La Iglesia ‘30. She pointed out that “with voice chat, you talk to people that you are not friends with.”
Despite all the safety concerns, Roblox is still a place where millions of kids have fun, create games, and play with friends from around the world, which means safety issues will likely continue to be discussed along with strategies to protect users.
