Gaming platform Roblox tightens teen protections with new features
What's the story
Online gaming platform Roblox has announced a major update to its platform, aimed at improving the safety and privacy of users aged between 13 and 18. The company is introducing a new feature called "Trusted Connections," which will let these users interact more freely with people they know. Roblox is also bringing in age estimation technology, advanced privacy tools, and insights for parents of teens. The platform has over 380 million monthly active users, as per some media reports.
Safety measures
Update comes after Roblox faced criticism over child safety measures
The move comes after Roblox faced criticism over its child safety measures. In April, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier had issued a subpoena to the company after reports of children being exposed to inappropriate content on the platform and predatory adults messaging minors. The latest updates are part of Roblox's efforts to address these concerns from lawmakers and parents alike.
Feature details
'Trusted Connections' will let teens communicate freely with trusted people
Roblox is rebranding "Friends" as "Connections" and launching the "Trusted Connections" feature. This will let teens communicate freely with people they trust, both in chat and voice. Ryan Ebanks, senior product manager at Roblox, said users aged 13 and above will get access to more expressive chat features with their Trusted Connections. The company also monitors conversations between Trusted Connections for critical harm like grooming.
Tech integration
Age estimation tech to verify user's age
To use Trusted Connections, users will have to verify their age with Roblox's new age estimation tech by taking a selfie video. If the system can't verify their age with high confidence, it will remain unconfirmed. If they don't pass the age estimation, they can confirm their age with ID verification. The company plans to implement this tech across its platform for user access to appropriate features/content.
User control
Parents can now monitor child's activity on Roblox
Along with these features, Roblox is also giving teens more control over their online presence. They can now choose who can see if they're online and set a time period during which push notifications from Roblox are muted. The company is also giving parents tools to monitor their child's activity on the platform, including who they're connected to, how much time they spend on it, and in which games.