If you’re the parent of a young child, protecting them from the temptations of the internet is a difficult task. There are so many things that your child can get drawn into and so many associated risks — whether it’s meeting the wrong type of people or spending your money behind your back.
One platform that deserves particular attention from parents is Roblox, a widely popular online gaming site where safety measures are essential. So, is Roblox safe? Let’s take a look.
What is Roblox?
Roblox is an online gaming platform where users can meet with other players to play user-created games or create their own games that they can earn money from. It’s primarily aimed at children and teenagers, but anyone of any age can enjoy it.
What are the age restrictions on Roblox?
Roblox does not impose a minimum age requirement to set up an account and access the games. Instead, they give each game an age category — similar to how movies are rated — based on the game’s content.
Games can be classified as suitable for all ages. There are also several age categories designated for games with elements that are unsuitable for younger users.
In other words, Roblox is telling parents to decide what games their kids play by setting the appropriate age level in the parental controls section of the child’s account. But is the Roblox account manager safe?
When used properly, the Roblox account manager helps keep children safe. There is an age verification process in the Roblox account settings, and you have to be at least 13 years old and have a photo ID, which is scanned and uploaded to a third-party verification platform. Roblox states that the age verification process is not yet available in all geographical locations but is “rolling out.”
Is Roblox safe for your kids?
Roblox is safe for kids, provided that guardrails are put in place to deal with the risks that are on the platform. With age restrictions and parental controls, any risks to kids can be mitigated, but there are still some to be aware of, which we will cover in the next section.
As long as your child is properly supervised and encouraged to be open to trusted adults about any concerns they may have, Roblox will be, more or less, safe for your child to use.
Is there a chat on Roblox?
Yes, there is a pop-up chat box in the bottom-right corner of the screen. When you enter a game, you can initiate a chat with any of the players. This, in itself, creates potential risks for young players, although an age-related safe chat feature is meant to mitigate associated risks.
How to turn off safe chat in Roblox
Since safe chat is meant to protect young users, there is no direct way to disable it. If you are older than 13, you can complete the age verification process, which may then lead to more chat options. Roblox warns, however, that any attempt to bypass safe chat is against their terms of service, and any offending accounts will be shut down.
What are the risks in Roblox?
Nothing is truly risk-free online, and Roblox is no exception. There are some risks that you need to educate yourself on before you let your kid loose within this platform.
Inappropriate content
As you can see in the screenshot above, there are games available on Roblox that are, frankly, quite shocking, especially when you see that they are categorized for users as young as nine years old.
The “Baddies” game above involves beating people up and provides controls for “ripping out hair” and “stomping them with your foot.” In other words, it’s bullying. Your child’s character will be set upon and given a virtual beating. (Personally, that alone would be enough for me to ban Roblox in my house.)
Cyberbullying
Since users can chat with one another, there is always the risk that your child could be bullied and/or verbally abused. Users can search for other users to connect with them, so real-life bullies can easily continue their tormenting and abuse on Roblox.
It is possible to create a free private server at the click of a button and play the game privately with friends. But that privacy can open up a can of worms for bullies who don’t want any witnesses.
Sexual predators
Since Roblox does not impose a minimum age restriction for new users, the site is a potentially attractive destination for child predators. Using the chat function, predators can make contact with users who are obviously children (going by username, for example).
There’s no way to know if Roblox is actively monitored by undercover law enforcement, but given the number of young users on the site, you would hope they have at least one eye on it.
Scammers
Users could be exposed to scammers within the chat function. These scammers will try to get personal information or money out of users. This is no different than Telegram scams, WhatsApp scams, or text message scams. Same crime, different platform.
If scammers on Roblox approach a child, that child may not have the good judgment that an adult may have.
Common Roblox scams
Let’s now look at some common Roblox scams so you can tell your child what to look out for.
Fake Robux
Robux is the name of the in-game digital currency used in Roblox to buy add-ons, power-ups, clothes, and accessories. This naturally leads to scammers trying to convince users that they can get an unlimited amount of Robux by providing personal information.
Fake password reset emails
Another common scam involves sending fake password reset emails, which redirect to a fake version of Roblox. Once the user enters their login details, their account becomes compromised. Any payment methods and Robux connected with the account can then be taken.
Trading less valuable items
Users on Roblox can also trade items with one another, such as one cosmetic item for another. These items are originally available on the Roblox Marketplace, so they are worth real-world money.
One scam is to persuade a user that an item is more valuable than it actually is. A trade then occurs, and the victim finds out the hard way that what they got is worthless.
Malware-infested hacks and cheats
Everybody likes a shortcut or a “hack” to get ahead, including Roblox players. But scammers are exploiting Roblox by offering hacks and cheats that can be downloaded.
Unfortunately — brace yourself — some of those hacks and cheats are infected with malware. Who saw that coming?
How does Roblox address safety concerns?
The owners of Roblox seem to recognize the risks that their younger users may face, which is why they have set up parental controls, as well as established guidelines for parents.
Are there any parental controls in Roblox?
Yes, Roblox has parental controls, but you need to add a PIN code to stop your child from changing anything. Once the PIN has been added, you can specify the minimum age level that your child can play.
However, notably, there are no parental controls on using payment methods to buy Robux currency.
How to ensure a safe Roblox experience for your child
Now that we have covered the risks of using Roblox, let’s now focus on how to make the platform a safe place for your child.
Don’t make it obvious that the user is a child
Online sexual predators are going to be on the lookout for kids. Therefore, the more you can disguise your child’s age, the better.
This can be anything from choosing a nonspecific username to not completing the About section in the user profile.
Don’t save any payment methods
When your kid sees the Roblox marketplace, their eyes may light up like they’ve just walked into a candy store. They will likely face some peer pressure from other players to buy certain items of high value, and for that, they are going to need real-world money.
It’s best to remove unnecessary temptations. So, unless you want to see your credit card balance explode, don’t save your payment method on the platform. If you’re going to buy something on Roblox, make the transaction for your child, then remove your payment information. Or connect a PayPal account and keep only a small amount of money in it.
Enable parental controls
Parents should take full advantage of the parental controls on Roblox. Doing so will restrict your child to a certain category of games and reduce the chances of them viewing something inappropriate (although it is not a foolproof method.)
Restrict gaming time
Set some ground rules from the start and restrict the amount of time your child can play online. You may also want to avoid allowing them to play at peak times when there will be more adult users using Roblox.
Using Roblox can be a fun family experience if you all play together and use the provided parental controls. But nothing is ever risk-free, as there will always be a small minority of users determined to ruin it for everyone else.
Fortunately, with a bit of education and research, those risks can be greatly reduced, and your child can stay safe while enjoying this addictive digital platform!
This is an independent publication, and it has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Apple Inc. Roblox is a trademark of Roblox Corporation.
