Roblox has rolled out mandatory age checks for all users worldwide to access chat features. The requirement follows lawsuits and investigations into child safety issues. The company tested the facial verification process in select markets last month before launching it globally.
Users must open the Roblox app, grant camera access, and follow on-screen instructions for facial verification. Roblox states that it deletes any images or videos after processing. Third-party vendor Persona handles the verification and also deletes the media.
Users aged 13 and older can opt for ID verification instead of facial verification. Age checks remain optional for general Roblox use but are required for communication features like chat.
If the age check estimates a user’s age incorrectly, they can appeal using alternatives such as ID verification or parental controls to update the child’s age.
“Leveraging multiple signals, Roblox is constantly evaluating user behavior to determine if someone is significantly older or younger than expected,” the company wrote in a blog post. “In these situations, Roblox will soon ask users to repeat the age-check process.”
Verified users gain access to age-based chat, restricting communication to similar age groups. Roblox defines six groups: under 9, 9-12, 13-15, 16-17, 18-20, and 21+. Users can chat with peers in their own group and the groups directly above and below. For instance, those in the 9-12 group can communicate with under 9 and 13-15 groups.
Chat is disabled by default for children under 9 unless a parent consents after completing an age check.
The rollout occurs amid lawsuits from the attorneys general of Texas and Louisiana against Roblox. These suits cite reports of young users exposed to grooming and explicit content.
Roblox claims the new system provides more accurate age verification than users self-reporting their birth year during account creation.
