Concerns have long loomed over the safety of online games for children. While parents cannot monitor their children’s every move, it is crucial to educate them about potential risks and set up safeguards to protect them from harmful content. One particular game that has recently come under scrutiny is Roblox, which happens to be immensely popular among kids.
A Game with a Dark Side
Roblox has gained notoriety for its questionable content that is easily accessible to all users, including violent and sexual scenarios. The game has also created a section exclusively for users who are 17 years and older, which has raised alarm among parents. To access this explicit content, users must undergo age verification. However, this process has drawn criticism, as it solely relies on artificial intelligence (AI) to check user information.
Given that there is no human involvement in the verification process, it is incredibly easy for a child to upload and use someone else’s ID and information. This fact becomes more concerning when considering that a staggering 56% of Roblox users are under the recommended age of 13, and 67% are under 16. In contrast, only 14% of users are 25 years and older, indicating that the game predominantly targets children.
Note: The reported ages are self-declared by users, suggesting that the actual average age is likely lower than stated.
A Playground for Potential Predators?
Due to the significant number of children on the platform, reports have surfaced of adults using Roblox to interact with and potentially harm minors. In one disturbing incident, a mother described Roblox as a “pedophile’s playground” after a user attempted to solicit personal information from her five-year-old child.
Adding fuel to the fire, Roblox announced its plans to introduce a dating component to the 17+ section of the game. Predicting that “thousands” of adults will meet and start “real-life relationships” through this feature, CEO David Baszucki unveiled the company’s five-year plan at the Roblox Developers Conference keynote speech. Additionally, the game aims to incorporate a video chat function to facilitate face-to-face conversations between players who connect online.
It is essential for parents to exercise extreme caution if they decide to allow their children to access Roblox, considering these recent developments.
Written by Georgina Young on behalf of GLHF.
