Since then, Roblox has rolled out an unprecedented array of safety features. These updates are intended to protect the online experience of teenage users, while providing parents with more oversight over their children’s behavior online. The platform itself is currently undergoing a host of exciting changes. They’re changing the name of “Friends” to “Connections” and introducing “Trusted Connections,” allowing teenagers to connect more openly with the trusted adults in their lives. These changes reflect our growing awareness of child endangerment. Their goal is to protect young users and make the online world a safer place.
In an effort to empower parents, Roblox is giving them access to tools that help track their children’s activity on the platform. This means access to data about their usage patterns and the ability to receive alerts when a teen performs certain transactions. According to Dina Lamdany, senior product manager at Roblox, “We know that parents are extremely busy, and so we’ve designed these to really be quick at a glance insights that parents can hopefully fit into their busy schedules.”
Trusted Connections limits users aged 13 to 17 to connecting only with other users in that same age group. This logical feature enhances their cognitive communication capacities while protecting their communication from dangerous adults. Conversations between these Trusted Connections will be actively supervised to identify any potential severe harm, like grooming efforts. Ryan Ebanks, senior product manager at Roblox, noted, “Users the system determines are 13+ will get access to more expressive chat features with their Trusted Connections.”
Roblox’s updates include blocking unfiltered communication between users aged 18 and older and teenagers unless a preexisting real-life relationship is verified through a QR code. This measure will help reduce the danger that adult users can reach minors without necessary protections established.
Eight months ago, TikTok extended its protections for minors by introducing a default curate feed for users under 13. Now, it has taken those measures a step further. Roblox has recently begun rolling out age estimation technology that’s supposed to help verify users’ ages more properly. If the system cannot verify a user’s age with high confidence, their age remains unconfirmed, which helps maintain safety standards.
Over the past few years, Roblox has received deep criticism for its failure to protect children. These new changes finally move to remove the dangers that those lawmakers and parents fought against. They’ve pushed for stronger protections for younger users. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier went even further earlier this year when he issued a subpoena to Roblox. This followed shocking reports that children were exposed to toxic substances and that predatory adults were able to contact minors on the app.
Roblox recently implemented these updates to better protect its users, particularly the younger users. They empower parents with key tools to help monitor their kids’ activity on the platform. The company appears committed to addressing safety concerns head-on and fostering a community where young users can interact in a safer manner.