Roblox has introduced a major safety overhaul for under-16s just hours after Sir Keir Starmer announced a crackdown on social media and gaming platforms. The sweeping changes come as the Prime Minister targets tech firms, stating they “had their chance” to make online platforms safer for children.
Government Plans for Under-16 Ban
On Monday, June 15, the Government confirmed plans to introduce a ban on sites like Facebook and Instagram, as well as apps such as TikTok and Snapchat, by next Spring. The move also targets gaming services, aiming to block stranger communication with children online.
Roblox Rolls Out New Accounts
Following the announcement, Roblox launched its new Kids and Select accounts globally after a trial in select countries. The platform claims these accounts offer extended parental controls to help keep young users safe.
What Are Roblox Kids and Select Accounts?
Kids Accounts, aimed at children aged 5 to 8, provide the platform’s “strongest default protections.” Chat is turned off by default, and only games with ‘minimal’ or ‘mild’ content maturity labels that have passed Roblox’s moderation process are accessible.
Select Accounts, targeting users aged 9 to 15, allow access to games rated up to ‘moderate’ that have passed the platform’s continual selection process. Chat settings vary by age and region, with additional safeguards for users under 16.
New Parental Controls and Age Checks
Parental controls have also been expanded. Features such as granular game blocking, direct chat management, and a new game approval function give parents the ability to grant access to specific games outside their child’s default account settings. The new accounts align game access, chat features, and parental controls with a user’s age, while offering parents more visibility and flexibility. Users are automatically placed into the applicable account experience based on Roblox’s age-check systems.
A Roblox spokesperson stated: “All games published to Roblox go through our moderation systems and are given a clear content maturity rating. For Roblox Kids and Roblox Select accounts, games are evaluated with additional reviews beyond our standard screen, including developer verification, real-time evaluation, and content maturity rating and default exclusions.”
Matt Kaufman, Chief Safety Officer at Roblox, added: “Children’s needs change significantly as they grow, and online experiences should adapt alongside them. With Roblox Kids and Roblox Select, we’re creating age-based protections designed to support younger users at different stages, while giving parents tools to personalize the experience for their family.”
Once the rollout is complete, users who have not completed an age check will not be able to access standard Roblox accounts or use chat features. Additionally, while social media links have never been allowed in chat on Roblox, the platform will no longer allow users younger than 16 to share or view them on user profiles, game detail pages, Community pages, or the Creator Hub later this month.
