Roblox, the online gaming platform that has been under fire due to child safety concerns, has introduced age-verification software that uses facial scanning to estimate the age of players.
The system is currently voluntary, but by the first week of December it will be a requirement in markets such as Australia, the Netherlands and New Zealand in order for players to chat with others online. By early January, players in all Roblox markets, including the US, will be required to use the software if they want to engage in chats with other players. Roblox said it has also launched a Safety Center hub with information for parents and parental control tools.
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Roblox says the age-verification system is being put in place to limit contact between adults and children, which has been a chief concern among child-safety advocates.
How it works
Roblox’s new age-verification feature takes a 3D scan of a player’s face, using a webcam or a mobile device’s camera, to estimate the person’s age. Based on that estimate, a player can use online chat with other players in their age group.
In a video about the software, Roblox says it immediately deletes captured images or video after the age check is complete.
The age check is performed by a vendor of Roblox called Persona.
Once they complete the check, players are grouped into the following age categories: under 9, 9–12, 13–15, 16–17, 18–20, or 21 and over. The company said that those under 9 won’t be allowed to chat without parental permission. The chats won’t be strictly limited to those age groups, necessarily. Roblox said players “can chat only with peers in their group or similar groups, as appropriate.”
The company said it’s also taking measures such as restricting media sharing among players and using AI to monitor chats.
Ongoing controversy
One of the aims of the launch, which was first announced in the summer, was to address criticism that the platform has not adequately protected underage players of Roblox.
Roblox is currently facing dozens of lawsuits related to claims of sexual abuse and child exploitation from families of children who played Roblox. It is also the target of investigations or lawsuits from states including Florida, Texas, Louisiana and Kentucky.
Roblox was dealt a setback earlier this month when a California judge declined the company’s motion to move one of these suits into private resolution.
The company says its safety features are moving beyond what other game platforms offer to protect minors.
According to a corporate post about the safety features: “Roblox is the first online gaming or communication platform to require facial age checks to access chat, establishing what we believe will become a new industry standard.”
