Roblox CEO Dave Baszucki joined The New York Times’ Hard Fork podcast to discuss the company’s new age verification feature, but the conversation shifted repeatedly toward child safety, prompting increasingly tense exchanges. Baszucki outlined the upcoming requirement for users who want access to Roblox’s messaging tools: a face scan submission. As hosts pressed on broader safety issues, Baszucki became noticeably frustrated.
Age Verification Feature Introduced
At the start of the interview, Baszucki explained the mechanics of the new verification system. Users seeking to use Roblox’s messaging features must provide a face scan. He described this step as part of an effort to introduce stronger age barriers across the platform.
The hosts then referenced a report alleging that Roblox had prioritised growth over safety. When asked to respond, Baszucki replied, “Fun. Let’s keep going down this,” signalling impatience with the direction of the discussion.
Host Questions Prompt Sharper Tone
Co-host Kevin Roose said that improving Roblox’s internal AI systems would help bolster child safety. Baszucki immediately emphasised alignment between the hosts’ point and Roblox’s policies, saying, “Good, so you’re aligning with what we did. High-five.”
He added that his intention in joining the show was to address a wide range of topics, not to stay on one theme. “And I want to highlight, I came here because I love your podcast and came to talk about everything,” he said. “So if our PR people said, ‘Let’s talk about age-gating for an hour,’ I’m up for it, but I love your pod. I thought I came here to talk about everything.”
Featured image credits: Flickr
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