Roblox changes the rules of the game: from now on, age verification will be required to access chat features. selfie with facial estimation or an official documentThose who do not complete the process can continue playing, but will not be able to send or receive messages within the platform.
The rollout will begin in three countries and, shortly afterwards, will extend to the rest of the world. including Spain and the entire European UnionThe stated objective is to reduce unwanted contact between adults and minors, close security gaps, and bring order to a community that brings together more than 150 million daily active users in recent periods.
What exactly changes in Roblox chat?
Access to the chat will now be a feature for verified users only: Without verification, there is no chat.This condition applies to both private messages and conversations within experiences (games) and social channels of the platform.
Communication will be segmented by age in six stripes To limit who can be spoken to: under 9; 9-12; 13-15; 16-17; 18-20; and 21+. This prioritizes user interaction. only with people of similar rank.
For younger users, the chat within experiences will remain. disabled by default and will require the approval of a parent or guardian. In addition, it will be possible to mark “Trusted Contacts"(family or known friends) to allow messages outside of those ranges when there is a real connection."
Roblox will accompany the new model with AI moderationLimits on sending external links and restrictions on sharing images or videos in conversations, in order to reduce risk factors on the platform.
How does the verification process work and what data is processed?
The process guides the user to take a selfie or a short video from the device's camera. From that material, a biometric age estimationThe company argues that it does not create a persistent facial recognition template.
As an alternative, older users can validate with a official documentRoblox indicates that the Images are deleted after analysis The process uses providers specializing in digital verification. The intention is to raise the bar for security without turning the platform into a repository for sensitive data.
Timeline and countries: from three pilot markets to a global activation
The voluntary phase is open to everyone, but the requirement will be mandatory first in Australia, the Netherlands, and New Zealand during the first week of December. Following this, the requirement will be activated globally. including Spain and the rest of the EU, since January.
Along with chat, Roblox plans to extend verification to social links and collaborative tools (for example, in Roblox Studio) to strengthen the control of interactions between users of different ages.
Impact in Spain and Europe: privacy, legal framework and families
Within EU territory, biometric processing must comply with GDPRwith principles of minimization, transparency, and security. The company is committed to providing clear information and offering mechanisms for access and deletion of data, in addition to allowing use without chat for those who do not wish to verify.
For households in Spain, the change is also an opportunity to review adjustments to parental control and the Roblox Safety Center: chat authorizations, contact management, and periodic review of children's privacy settings.
Criticisms, risks and context
The decision comes after questions from NGOs and experts that warned of grooming and inappropriate behavior. In the United States, prosecutors in Texas, Kentucky, and Louisiana have pursued legal action for alleged failures in child protection, while in other countries, specific measures have been taken to mitigate risks in educational settings.
The company maintains that this verification will establish a new safety standard in video games and social networks for minors. Even so, debates persist about privacy and the use of biometrics, especially in European markets where regulators and data protection authorities are concerned. They are keeping a close watch. These deployments.
This is how the experience will be organized by age.
The community will be organized in six age groups that determine who you can talk to and what features are available.
- Children under 9 years old: chat disabled by default; requires parental permission.
- From 9 to 12 years old
- From 13 to 15 years old
- From 16 to 17 years old
- From 18 to 20 years old
- 21 years or more.
The exceptions They go through the Trusted Contacts label, intended for family members or people known in real life, in order to keep channels open under supervision.
quick questions
What happens if I don't verify my account? You'll be able to play, but You will not have access to the chat. nor to restricted social functions.
Is it facial recognition or age estimation? For the user, it's a biometric process with selfieThe company states that it is an age estimate and that delete the images after the analysis.
Can adults chat with minors? The general rule is that No.; it is only allowed within the defined time zones or through Trusted Contacts configured by the family.
Will there be more changes? Verification is expected to reach other social channels and collaborative tools to cover more risk areas.
With the launch in three countries and global activation in the next stage, Roblox is trying to balance creative freedom and protection of minors with a system that conditions chat access on verification and segments conversations by age; a move that, if it works, could become a benchmark for other platforms in Spain, Europe and the rest of the world.