Roblox has begun enforcing mandatory facial verification for users who want to access chat features, expanding the requirement globally after testing it in several markets, following a series of lawsuits and investigations related to child safety.
The company said the new rule applies only to communication features. Users can continue to play games without verification, but access to chat now requires an age check.
How The Age Check Works
To complete the process, users must open the Roblox app, allow camera access, and follow on-screen prompts for facial verification. Roblox said any images or videos captured during the process are deleted once verification is completed.
The verification is handled by a third-party provider, Persona, which also deletes all images and videos after processing, according to Roblox.
Users aged 13 and older can choose to verify their age using government-issued identification instead of facial verification. Roblox said age checks remain optional for general use, but they are required to enable chat.
Appeals And Repeat Checks
If the system incorrectly estimates a user’s age, Roblox said users can appeal the decision. Alternative verification options include ID checks or parental controls that allow parents to update a child’s age.
Roblox said it also uses behavioral signals to assess whether an account appears significantly older or younger than expected. In those cases, users may be asked to repeat the age-check process.
Age Based Chat Restrictions
After completing verification, users gain access to age-based chat, which limits communication to users in similar age brackets. Roblox has defined six groups: under 9, 9 to 12, 13 to 15, 16 to 17, 18 to 20, and 21 and older.
Users can communicate with others in their own group as well as the groups directly above and below theirs. For example, users aged 9 to 12 can chat with those under 9 and those aged 13 to 15.
Chat remains disabled by default for users under 9 unless a parent provides consent following an age check.
Legal Pressure And Safety Concerns
The rollout follows multiple lawsuits against Roblox, including actions brought by the attorneys general of Texas and Louisiana. The cases cite concerns that the platform exposed children to risks such as grooming and explicit content.
Roblox said the new system provides a more accurate method of determining age than relying on users to self-report their birth year during account creation.
Featured image credits: Dear Players
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