A hot potato: Roblox has a reputation among some as an extremely toxic environment for younger gamers. Although the company denies allegations that it is a pedophile hellscape, it is now planning to impose significant limitations on how children access and use the game creation platform.
Roblox is an online gaming platform that has provided an environment for design experimentation and content sharing since 2006. The service is extremely popular among younger gamers, with more than half of its active monthly players under 16. The platform makes an attractive portal for predators targeting younger gamers.
The company recently announced new restrictions to keep users of all ages safe on the platform. Roblox players under 13 will soon be unable to play "unrated" experiences. The game has further restricted social hangouts and free-form user creation experiences.
Roblox highlights how parents need to get accurate information about their children's online gaming experiences. Creators active on the platform are now required to complete a questionnaire. Games intended for underage players must be rated, and all meta information associated with them (including thumbnail, title, and description) must be appropriate for users of all ages.
Creators must complete the questionnaire for every experience game they have on the platform by December 3, 2024. Enforcement of the restrictions starts next year. Unrated experiences will become "unplayable, unsearchable, and undiscoverable" by younger users, although direct links to their details will still work.
Social Hangouts and free-form experiences, which Roblox describes as places designed to promote socialization and drawing environments without the burden of 3D modeling or world-building, will be restricted much sooner. Starting November 18, these interactive virtual instances should become completely off-limits for gamers under 13.
A recent Hindenburg Research report stated that the company intentionally inflates monthly active user counts. Many of Roblox's user base are likely bots and scam accounts. The report further claims that Roblox deliberately exploits children with a focus on monetization. Pedophiles allegedly utilize the platform to share child sexual abuse material and to groom minors.
Roblox has denied wrongdoing. The company said the report was misleading and accused Hindenburg of opposing the company's business model for financial gain.
Image credit: Henry Burrows