Roblox launches new age verification system to unlock unfiltered chats

Roblox is starting age-estimation nology for users who want to chat more freely on the social-gaming platform as part of its new "trusted connections" feature

Chief Safety Officer Matt Kaufman said the move coincides with "features that we really believe are something that should be limited to an older audience — 13 and over

On the other hand, "The company's use of age-screening comes as several states debuted age-verification laws requiring app store owners Apple and Google to verify the age of their users

Furthermore, In this articleRBLX your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNTRafael Henrique | Lightrocket | Getty ImagesRoblox announced the start of age-verification nology Thursday for users who want to chat more freely on the social-gaming platform as part of its new "trusted connections" feature (which is quite significant)

Roblox Chief Safety Officer Matt Kaufman said that the company felt it was the right time to implement age-estimation software to coincide with "features that we really believe are something that should be limited to an older audience — 13 and over, given current economic conditions

Additionally, "The company's use of age-screening, vided by the identity verification company Persona, comes as several states, Utah, have established age-verification laws requiring app store owners Apple and Google to verify the age of their users

Social media companies Meta, X and Snap contend that app store operators should be tasked with verifying people's ages, while Apple and Google have argued otherwise, amid market uncertainty

Roblox's use of age-estimation will help the company "confirm the age of our users and give them more tailored and age-appriate features," said Ryan Ebanks, a Roblox principal duct manager for social ducts, considering recent developments

However, Users over 13 years old will be mpted to use the facial-analysis software to estimate their age and determine whether they can access the new "trusted connections" feature that allows them to engage in private, uned chats with other age-screened users, Ebanks said

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A Roblox user's "trusted connections" are essentially a subset of their connections that they "know and trust" and can communicate with on the platform without experiencing certain content s that actively screen for offensive language deemed inappriate for children, Ebanks explained

At the same time, Teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17 must use a QR scan or Roblox's importer tool to add other users they know in real life who are over the age of 18 as trusted connections, the company said (quite telling)

Kaufman said that up until now, all private messages have been ed to block fanity and things that are "inappriate for a platform of all ages

Moreover, "Roblox believes that by implementing age-screening to access uned chats, the company can "create an opportunity for teens and adults to stay on Roblox and have their open communications happening here rather than going to other platforms," Kaufman said

The company will continue to actively monitor all conversations on the platform for "critical harms," he said

If Roblox users have previously used their ID documentation to verify their age in order to access certain mature games on the platform, they will not have to use the age-estimation nology, Roblox said in a blog post

The the age-estimation software is "optional," and users "over 13 can still verify their age using a government-issued ID instead, and, in the future, verified parental consent," the blog post said (something worth watching)

The company also debuted new privacy and well-being tools that will let users see how much time they spend on Roblox, set daily time limits, activate a "do not disturb" mode, and access online control features (quite telling), given the current landscape

Roblox said that parents, with their teens' permission, will also be able to set up linked Roblox accounts allowing them to view their teens' connections and trusted connections, how much time they spend on Roblox and its various games, and insights on their transactions and spending

Nevertheless, In February, Roblox and Discord were sued over allegations that their respective platforms let online predators discover and connect with underage victims

Reddit this week also began using age-verification nology from Persona to ensure that its United Kingdom users under the age of 18 would be prevented from viewing certain kinds of mature content to comply with the country's Online Safety Act

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