Roblox is a prominent online platform where children and teenagers come together to partake in their preferred video games, which the platform refers to as experiences. Teens between the ages of 13 and 17 who want to utilize a unique feature to enhance these gatherings must authenticate their age with a video selfie. Roblox revealed this new requirement on Thursday as part of a range of safety and privacy initiatives.

Once Roblox determines a user’s age using the AI-driven age verification tool Persona and assigns an appropriate age bracket to their account, they can gain access to the newly introduced feature known as “Trusted Connections.” This enables teenage users to designate one another as Trusted Connections, permitting voice and chat communication without filters. However, Roblox will oversee all discussions for “critical harm,” such as grooming.

If a teenager wishes to add an adult aged 18 or older as a Trusted Connection, it can only be performed in person via a QR scan or contact importer. If the system inaccurately assesses a user’s age or fails to confirm it, teens can validate their age by submitting identification. In the future, Roblox will facilitate parental verified consent to authenticate a user’s age.

Teens cannot access Trusted Connections until they complete this process. This feature represents Roblox’s latest attempt to enhance platform safety. Last year, the company limited direct messaging for younger individuals and launched new parental control features.

Roblox has been criticized for the ease with which some predators could engage with young users. Malicious actors have previously persuaded victims to move off Roblox for conversations on other platforms like Discord.

In 2023, families initiated a class-action lawsuit against Roblox for exposing underage users to inappropriate or explicit material and permitting improper encounters. The company contested these claims; however, political and legal pressure has grown on all social media and gaming platforms to bolster safety.

In a blog post outlining the new features, Roblox’s chief safety officer Matt Kaufman mentioned that they were partially aimed at safeguarding young users from being attracted off the platform. “This additional freedom to chat more openly with trusted connections reduces the incentive for teens to move interactions off platform, where they may be exposed to greater risk,” Kaufman stated.

In a press conference, Kaufman recognized that Roblox had been contemplating age verification for quite some time. He expressed that the company chose to implement it at this moment as it could coincide with “features that we really believe are something that should be limited to an older audience, 13 and older.”

Prior to the introduction of Trusted Connections, all private communications on Roblox were filtered to prevent profanity and personally identifiable information, as well as other potentially inappropriate content.

Additional features launched on Thursday include tools for users to enhance their management of notifications, screen time, and privacy. Users will gain access to a do not disturb mode and can impose a daily limitation on the platform, in addition to selecting who can see their online status, with the option to appear invisible.

Teens can also permit their parents to view both their Connections and Trusted Connections. Furthermore, parents will be able to monitor how much time their teenager spends on the platform and receive notifications and alerts regarding financial transactions.