Roblox Tightens Safety, Bans Preteens from Virtual Social Spaces

Roblox Corp RBLX will soon implement new restrictions to protect young users from certain types of content and interactions.

Starting December 3, game creators must indicate if their games suit users under 13. Games lacking this classification will be automatically restricted for players aged 12 and younger.

Additionally, as of November 18, preteen users will no longer have access to certain social areas known as “social hangouts,” which allow real-time text and voice chat between players, BBC reports.

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Roblox will prohibit children under 13 from accessing games with “free-form 2D user creation” on November 18 to further safeguard younger users.

This feature includes tools like virtual chalkboards or whiteboards, where players can draw or write without prior moderation. The company hopes that restricting this feature will help reduce the risk of offensive messages or images appearing unfiltered on the platform.

Content creators who want to make their experiences accessible to younger users must meet specific age-appropriate requirements, complete a detailed questionnaire, and ensure compliance with Roblox’s guidelines.

Roblox has faced significant scrutiny over child safety. Earlier this year, an Ofcom report highlighted Roblox as the most popular game among UK children aged 8 to 12.

However, the platform has also received complaints regarding potential risks to younger players, including reports of inappropriate interactions. Turkey, for instance, blocked Roblox in August over similar concerns.

In October, the company introduced new parental controls, including a more manageable account type for parents to oversee their children’s activities.

Juliet Chaitin-Lefcourt, a Roblox spokesperson, told the Verge that the company shipped over 30 improvements this year, with more to come. Chaitin-Lefcourt added that transparency with the developer community remains a priority as the company rolls out these updates.

The full enforcement of these new safety standards will continue into the following year as Roblox introduces stricter age-based access and a rating system to protect younger users.

Roblox reported fiscal third-quarter 2024 bookings growth of 34% to $1.13 billion. The Average Daily Active Users (DAUs) were 88.9 million, up 27%. The Hours Engaged were 20.7 billion, up 29%.

In October, Roblox faced two bearish reports from Bear Cave and Hindenberg for allegedly inflating key user metrics, including daily active users (DAUs) and engagement hours.

Price Action: RBLX stock is up 0.88% at $53.37 at the last check on Thursday.

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