Roblox introduces mandatory age verification worldwide for all users who want to chat with each other
Roblox app installed on a mobile device, PHOTO: Inkdropcreative1 / Dreamstime.com
Following a wave of lawsuits and investigations related to child safety on its platform, Roblox has implemented mandatory face verification for all users who wish to access chat features. The company is now expanding this requirement globally after initially testing it in a few markets last month, TechCrunch reports.
To complete the age verification process, users must open the Roblox app, allow access to the device's camera, and follow a series of on-screen instructions for facial verification, just as they do with other apps – such as online banking.
After processing age verification, Roblox states that it will delete any user images or videos. The verification is done by a third-party vendor that also deletes the images and videos after the process is complete, according to the company whose online gaming platform has seen explosive growth in popularity in recent years.
Roblox states that users 13 years of age or older may also choose to verify their age through ID verification instead of facial verification.
Last February, the online gaming platform reported an average of 85.3 million daily active users. According to the company, its monthly player base includes half of all American children under the age of 16.
Roblox points out that only some users will need to verify their age
The company emphasizes that although age verifications are optional, they are mandatory for users who wish to access communication features. In other words, users are not required to verify their age to use Roblox, but verification is required to use chat features.
If the age verification process estimates a user's age incorrectly, they can appeal the decision and verify their age through alternative methods, including ID verification or parental controls that allow parents to update their child's age.
“Using multiple indicators, Roblox constantly assesses user behavior to determine if someone is significantly older or younger than expected,” the company wrote in a blog post. “In these situations, Roblox will soon require users to repeat the age verification process,” it states.
Once users complete an age verification, they can access age-based chat, which means they can only communicate with other users in a similar age group. There are six age groups: under 9, 9-12, 13-15, 16-17, 18-20 and 21 and over. Users in each age group can chat with people in the immediately lower and upper age groups. For example, users in the 9–12 age category can communicate with users in their own group as well as with users in the “under 9” and “13–15” groups.
Roblox states that the chat feature is disabled by default for children under the age of 9, unless a parent gives consent following an age verification.
PHOTO article: Inkdropcreative1 / Dreamstime.com.
