Roblox bans kids under 13 from social hangouts and unrated games amid child safety concerns

tech.hindustantimes.com:

Roblox, one of the world's largest online gaming platforms, is tightening its rules to restrict younger users from accessing certain interactive spaces. Starting November 18th, children under 13 will no longer be able to enter “social hangouts” on the platform, where the primary purpose is user interaction through text or voice chat, according to a company announcement on its developer forum. Additionally, kids in this age group will be restricted from engaging in “free-form 2D user creation” spaces, which allow for open-ended actions like drawing on virtual boards.

This initiative marks a shift for Roblox as it faces scrutiny over its child safety practices. A wave of recent reports, including one from Bloomberg, alleged that the platform's open social spaces expose minors to risks of inappropriate content and interactions. As a response, Roblox is also taking steps to prevent children under 13 from accessing unrated games. By December 3rd, the platform will implement a system where creators must fill out questionnaires about their content if they want it to be accessible to younger audiences. These new age restrictions will apply only to experiences that align with Roblox's “All Ages” or “9 plus” ratings.

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For preteens, Roblox will still offer access to games involving role-play scenarios like police officers and race car drivers. However, social hangouts and any content without a formal rating will be off-limits. The changes are part of a broader effort by Roblox to improve its reputation in child safety. Following media criticism, Roblox sent an October email to parents outlining that children under 13 will require parental permission to use chat functions and access games with elements of moderate violence or crude humour.

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The platform has introduced additional safeguards, such as a new