Tag Archives: roblox

Roblox Launches Age Verification Feature in Australia, Advocating Against Child Social Media Ban

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Roblox maintains that Australia’s forthcoming social media restrictions for users under 16 should not extend to its platform, as it rolls out a new age verification feature designed to block minors from communicating with unknown adults.

The feature, which is being launched first in Australia, allows users to self-estimate their age using Persona age estimation technology built into the Roblox app. This utilizes the device’s camera to analyze facial features and provide a live age assessment.


This feature will become compulsory in Australia, the Netherlands, and New Zealand starting the first week of December, with plans to expand to other markets in early January.

After completing the age verification, users will be categorized into one of six age groups: under 9, 9-12, 13-15, 16-17, 18-20, or 21 and older.

Roblox has stated that users within each age category will only be able to communicate with peers in their respective groups or similarly aged groups.

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These changes were initially proposed in September and received positive feedback from Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, who has been in discussions with Roblox for several months regarding safety concerns on the platform, labeling this as a step forward in enhancing safety measures.

A recent Guardian Australia investigation revealed a week’s worth of virtual harassment and violence experienced by users who had set their profiles as eight years old while on Roblox.

Regulatory pressure is mounting for Roblox to be included in Australia’s under-16 social media ban, set to be implemented on December 10. Although there are exceptions for gaming platforms, Julie Inman-Grant stated earlier this month that eSafety agencies are reviewing chat functions and messaging in games.

“If online gameplay is the primary or sole purpose, would kids still utilize the messaging feature for communication if it were removed? Probably not,” she asserted.

During a discussion with Australian reporters regarding these impending changes, Roblox’s chief safety officer, Matt Kaufman, characterized Roblox as an “immersive gaming platform.” He explained, “I view games as a framework for social interaction. The essence lies in bringing people together and spending time with one another.”

When asked if this suggests Roblox should be classified as a social media platform subject to the ban, Kaufman responded that Roblox considers social media as a space where individuals post content to a feed for others to view.

“People return to look at the feed, which fosters a fear of missing out,” he elaborated. “It feels like a popularity contest that encapsulates social media. In contrast, Roblox is akin to two friends playing a game after school together. That’s not social media.”

“Therefore, we don’t believe that Australia’s domestic social media regulations apply to Roblox.”


When questioned if the new features were introduced to avoid being encompassed in the ban, Kaufman stated that the company is engaged in “constructive dialogue” with regulators and that these updates showcase the largest instance of a platform utilizing age verification across its entire user base.

Persona, the age verification company partnering with Roblox, Participating in Australian Age Guarantee Technology Trial. They reported a false positive rate of 61.11% for 15-year-olds identified as 16 years old and 44.25% for 14-year-olds.

Kaufman explained that the technology would likely be accurate within a year or two and that users who disagree with the assessment could correct it using a government ID or parental controls to establish an age. He assured that there are “strict requirements” for data deletion after age verification. Roblox states that ID images will be retained for 30 days for purposes such as fraud detection and then erased.

Users who opt not to participate in the age verification will still have access to Roblox, but they will be unable to use features like chat.

More than 150 million people globally engage with Roblox every day across 180 countries, including Australia. According to Kaufman, two-thirds of users are aged 13 and above.




Source: www.theguardian.com

Roblox Prohibits Children from Communicating with Unknown Adults Following Legal Actions

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The online gaming platform Roblox is set to restrict interactions between children and adults, as well as older teenagers, starting next month. This decision comes in light of a new lawsuit that alleges the platform has been exploited by predators to groom children as young as seven.

Roblox, known for popular games like “Grow a Garden” and “Steal a Brainrot,” boasts 150 million daily players. However, it now faces legal action claiming that its system design facilitates the predation of minors.

Beginning next month, a facial age estimation feature will be implemented, allowing children to communicate with strangers only if they are within a certain age range.


Roblox claims it will be the first gaming or communication platform to enforce age verification for chats. Similar measures were enacted in the UK this summer for adult sites, ensuring that under-18s cannot access explicit content.

The company likened its new approach to the age structures found in schools, differentiating elementary, middle, and high school levels. The initiative will be launched first in Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands, where children will be prohibited from having private conversations with unknown adults starting next month, with a global rollout planned for early January.

Users will be classified into categories: under 9, 9-12, 13-15, 16-17, 18-20, or 21 and older. Children will only be allowed to chat with peers in their age group or a similar age range. For instance, a child whose age is estimated at 12 can only interact with users under 16. Roblox stated that any images or videos used during the age verification process will not be stored.

“We view this as a means to enhance user confidence in their conversations within the game,” stated Matt Kaufman, Roblox’s chief safety officer. “We see it as a genuine chance to foster trust in our platform and among our community.”

This lawsuit emerges alongside growing concerns from family attorneys regarding the “systematic predation of minors” on Roblox. Florida attorney Matt Dolman mentioned that he has filed 28 lawsuits against Roblox, which has rapidly expanded during the pandemic, asserting that “the primary allegations pertain to the systematic exploitation of minors.”

One of the more recent lawsuits, filed in U.S. District Court in Nevada, involves the family of a 13-year-old girl who claims that Roblox conducted its operations “recklessly and deceptively,” facilitating her sexual exploitation.


The alleged incident involved a ‘dangerous child predator’ who posed as a child, developed an emotional connection, and manipulated the girl into providing her phone number and engaging in graphic exchanges. The manipulator then coerced her into sending explicit photos and videos.

The lawsuit claims that had Roblox implemented user screening measures prior to allowing access, the girl “would not have encountered the numerous predators that litter the platform,” and if age and identity checks had been conducted, the abuse could have been prevented.

Other recent cases in the Northern District of California include a 7-year-old girl from Philadelphia and a 12-year-old girl from Texas, both of whom were reportedly groomed and sent explicit materials by predators on Roblox.

“We are profoundly concerned about any situation that places our users at risk,” a Roblox spokesperson remarked. “The safety of our community is our highest priority.”

“This is why our policies are intentionally more stringent than those on many other platforms,” they added. “We have filters aimed at protecting younger users, prohibit image sharing, and restrict sharing personal information.

“While no system is flawless, we are continually striving to enhance our safety features and platform restrictions, having launched 145 new initiatives this year to assure parents that we prioritize their children’s safety online.”

“One platform’s safety standards alone aren’t sufficient; we genuinely hope others in the industry will adopt some of the practices we’re implementing to ensure robust protections for children and teens across the board,” Kaufman commented.

Bevan Kidron, UK founder of the 5Rights Foundation, advocating for children’s digital rights, stated: “It’s imperative for game companies to prioritize their responsibility toward children within their services.

“Roblox’s announcement asserts that their forthcoming measures will represent best practices in this sector, but it is a bold statement from a company that has historically been slow to tackle predatory behavior and granted unverified adults and older children easy access to millions of young users. We sincerely hope they are correct.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Roblox Controversy: Experts and MPs Urge Online Gaming Platforms to Embrace Australia’s Under-16 Social Media Ban

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Increasing concerns have been raised regarding the federal government’s need to tackle the dangers that children face on the widely-used gaming platform Roblox, following a report by Guardian Australia that highlighted a week of incidents involving virtual sexual harassment and violence.

While role-playing as an 8-year-old girl, the reporter encountered a sexualized avatar and faced cyberbullying, acts of violence, sexual assault, and inappropriate language, despite having parental control settings in place.

From December 10, platforms including Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, and Kick will be under Australia’s social media ban preventing Australians under 16 from holding social media accounts, yet Roblox will not be included.

Independent councillor Monique Ryan labeled this exclusion as “unexplainable.” She remarked, “Online gaming platforms like Roblox expose children to unlimited gambling, cloned social media apps, and explicit content.”

At a press conference on Wednesday, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant stated that platforms would be examined based on their “singular and essential purpose.”

“Kids engaging with Roblox currently utilize chat features and messaging for online gameplay,” she noted. “If online gameplay were to vanish, would kids still use the messaging feature? Likely not.”

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“If these platforms start introducing features that align them more with social media companies rather than online gaming ones, we will attempt to intervene.”

According to government regulations, services primarily allowing users to play online games with others are not classified as age-restricted social media platforms.


Nonetheless, some critics believe that this approach is too narrow for a platform that integrates gameplay with social connectivity. Nyusha Shafiabadi, an associate professor of information technology at Australian Catholic University, asserts that Roblox should also fall under the ban.

She highlighted that the platform enables players to create content and communicate with one another. “It functions like a restricted social media platform,” she observed.

Independent MP Nicolette Boere urged the government to rethink its stance. “If the government’s restrictions bar certain apps while leaving platforms like Roblox, which has been called a ‘pedophile hellscape’, unshielded, we will fail to safeguard children and drive them into more perilous and less regulated environments,” she remarked.

Communications minister spokesperson Annika Wells mentioned that excluding Roblox from the teen social media ban does not imply that it is free from accountability under the Online Safety Act.

A representative from eSafety stated, “We can extract crucial safety measures from Roblox that shield children from various harms, including online grooming and sexual coercion.”

eSafety declared that by the year’s end, Roblox will enhance its Age Verification Technology, which restricts adults from contacting children without explicit parental consent and sets accounts to private by default for users under 16.

“Children under 16 who enable chat through age estimation will no longer be permitted to chat with adults. Alongside current protections for those under 13, we will also introduce parental controls allowing parents to disable chat for users between 13 and 15,” the spokesperson elaborated.

Should entities like Roblox not comply with child safety regulations, authorities have enforcement capabilities, including fines of up to $49.5 million.

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eSafety stated it will “carefully oversee Roblox’s adherence to these commitments and assess regulatory measures in the case of future infractions.”

Joanna Orlando, an expert on digital wellbeing from Western Sydney University, pointed out that Roblox’s primary safety issues are grooming threats and the increasing monetization of children engaging with “the world’s largest game.”

She mentioned that it is misleading to view it solely as a video game. “It’s far more significant. There are extensive social layers, and a vast array of individuals on that platform,” she observed.

Green Party spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young criticized the government for “playing whack-a-mole” with the social media ban.

“We want major technology companies to assume responsibility for the safety of children, irrespective of age,” she emphasized.

“We need to strike at these companies where it truly impacts them. That’s part of their business model, and governments hesitate to act.”

Shadow communications minister Melissa Mackintosh also expressed her concerns about the platform. She stated that while Roblox has introduced enhanced safety measures, “parents must remain vigilant to guard their children online.”

“The eSafety Commissioner and the government carry the responsibility to do everything within their power to protect children from the escalating menace posed by online predators,” she said.

A representative from Roblox stated that the platform is “dedicated to pioneering safety through stringent policies that surpass those of other platforms.”

“We utilize AI to scrutinize games for violating content prior to publication, we prohibit users from sharing images or videos in chats, and we implement sophisticated text filters designed to prevent children from disclosing personal information,” they elaborated.




Source: www.theguardian.com

Roblox Enhances Age Verification to Limit Adult-Child Interactions | Games

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Roblox, the popular gaming platform, is set to restrict communication between adult strangers and children by the end of the year in an effort to eliminate “bad actors.”

With over 110 million users engaged in games like Grow a Garden and Brookhaven RP, the platform has faced scrutiny over child safety as studies have indicated that children can interact with adults during gameplay.

Last month, the platform announced a ban on vigilantes attempting to confront predators. In the previous year, Roblox submitted over 24,000 reports to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, addressing allegations of child sexual exploitation in the U.S.

On Wednesday, it was announced that by the end of 2025, all users will be required to utilize text and chat communication tools alongside thousands of games and pass age verification. Users who cannot prove they are over 18 must show that they know who they wish to communicate with. Currently, Roblox mandates proof that the user is over 13 years old to enable communication.

“We’re instituting two major changes,” stated Matt Kaufman, the chief safety officer of the $92 billion gaming company. “By the end of the year, we will require all users with access to Roblox communications to undergo an age verification or estimation process.”

“This process will provide better insight into the user’s age, rather than solely relying on self-reported age at registration. This is especially crucial for younger users, making it imperative to use communication features appropriately based on age.”

The platform continues to expand rapidly, recently allowing companies like Netflix, Lionsgate, and Sega to develop games using their intellectual property on Roblox.

In April, The Guardian published a “deeply intrusive” study highlighting how easily children can encounter inappropriate content and unmonitored interactions with adults. One parent reported that adult strangers could contact their child on the platform, soliciting them to share explicit images. Others have expressed concerns regarding exposure to violent and sexual content, leading to distress for their children.

Roblox stated in a blog post, “Our users, creator community, parents, partners, and lawmakers strive for the same goal as us: to ensure young people remain safe while using Roblox. We are committed to continually innovating and enhancing our safety systems, policies, and moderation tools.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Parent educates on internet safety after child’s Roblox issue: Man approached him

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dAvid, 46-year-old father from Calgary, Canada. My 10 year old son didn’t see any problems at first I started playing on Roblox, a user-generated gaming and virtual environment platform, especially among younger gamers, which has exploded in popularity in recent years.

“We thought he was a way to maintain a level of social interaction during the blockade of the community,” David said he assumed that his son would use the platform’s chat feature to speak to friends he personally knows.

After a while, his parents found him talking to someone in his room in the middle of the night.

“We discovered that a man from India approached him and approached him with Roblox and mentored him to bypass our internet security management,” David said. “This person persuaded his son to take nude pictures and videos that he compromised and send them via Google Mini.

“It was tough to get to the root of why my son did it. I think he was lonely. I thought this was a real friend. I think he was given a gift to Roblox, who made him feel special. It was truly the worst nightmare for all parents.”

David was among parents all over the world who often shared with the Guardian that primary school children were either heavily affected or had serious harm from the games at Roblox. Many confirmed the results of reports last year that Roblox allegedly exposed children to grooming, pornography, violent content and abusive speech.

Some parents said Roblox was a creative outlet for their children and brought joy to them or improved some of their skills, such as communication and spelling, but the majority of parents who were in touch with expressed serious concern. These were primarily about the incredible levels of addiction we observed with our children, but also about extreme political images such as parental control, grooming, emotionally horrifying mail, bullying, and avatars of Nazi uniforms, as well as examples of traumatic content in games that children can access despite inappropriate talking to children on the platform.

“Deeply disturbing” research By digital behavior experts who reveal reality The 5-year-old was able to communicate with adults while playing games on the platform.

Roblox admitted in response to the possibility that children playing on the platform could be exposed to harmful content and “bad actors.” This is an issue that the company claims to be working hard to fix it, but requires industry-wide collaboration and government intervention. The company said “I have deep sympathy.”

The newly announced, additional safety tools aimed at giving parents greater flexibility to manage their children’s activities on the site, have failed to convince many of the parents the Guardian spoke to.

“I don’t think the change will address my concerns,” said Emily, Hemel Hempstead’s mother.

“The new features are useful, but they don’t stop children from accessing inappropriate or scary content. People are allowed to choose an age rating for the game they create, and they may not always be appropriate or accurate.

Her 7-year-old daughter said that her 7-year-old daughter was asleep as she was shot after Roblox’s game took her to a room with an avatar where she was introduced as “your dad.”

Despite Roblox claiming to have introduced “new easy-to-use “remote management” parental controls,” parents found it extremely difficult to navigate parental control settings and said it takes several hours to review their child’s activities regularly. It was also impossible to tell people that many people were behind their usernames.

“Roblox monitors the type of language used, such as blasphemy, but there is no real way to policing players’ age.

The company highlighted last year that it defaulted to the fact that under 13 years of age could no longer send messages directly to others on Roblox, outside of gaming or experience.

However, Roblox admitted that it struggles to verify users’ age, saying, “age verification for users under 13 is still a challenge for the wider industry.”

Nelly*, a Dublin mother in her 40s, said she had just finished a play therapy course to process sexual content her 9-year-old daughter saw on Roblox, which caused a panic attack.

“I thought it was okay to play,” she said. “I didn’t allow her to be friends with strangers either, and I thought this would be enough, but it wasn’t.

“There was an area where she went, people were wearing underwear and someone went in and lying on her.”

Many parents felt that Roblox was exploiting his child’s “underdeveloped impulse control.” As one father said, he constantly gave them a nidge to gamble and stay on the platform, urging many children to lose interest in other activities in the real world.

Jenna, from Birmingham. Two months after her children began playing Roblox, they were able to see their “all life” [had] It is carried over by the platform and reflects the statements of other parents’ scores.

“I feel like I’m living with two addicts,” she said. “If they’re not playing, they want to watch a video about it… When they’re told to go off, it’s like you cut them off from their final fix – screaming, arguments, sometimes pure rage.”

Peter, 51, a London artist and father of three boys, said that his 14-year-old son became so engrossed in Robras and his devices that he was generally violent, breaking the windows with his fist when the game was turned off.

“People who run Roblox don’t give parents shit that they can’t control the game. We didn’t try everything. We’re in treatment now,” he said.

Roblox CEO I advised my parents To keep children away from the platform if they feel worried. Maria, a mother of three from Berkshire, felt that her children were socially excluded when they were offline, making it difficult for parents to do so, and was among many who emphasized that they had unlocked the monetization elements of the platform – the higher game levels and personalization features, becoming a status symbol between the children.

In a statement, Roblox said: “We deeply sympathize with parents who described their children’s negative experiences at Roblox, which is not something we strive for and does not reflect the online civic space we want to build for everyone.

“Ten millions have positive, rich, safe experiences at Roblox every day in a supportive environment that encourages connection with friends, learning and developing important STEM skills.

*Name changed

Source: www.theguardian.com

Parents wield more control over their children’s gaming activities on Roblox than children themselves

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Parents now have the ability to communicate with specific friends on Roblox, an online gaming platform popular among children, or restrict children from playing certain games.

This update is part of a series of safety enhancements designed to give parents more control over their child’s experience on the platform.

Starting Wednesday, parents and caregivers who verify their identity through ID or credit card will gain access to three new tools. The Friend Management Tool allows blocking individuals on the child’s friends list, preventing direct messaging with their accounts, and reporting rule-breaking users.

Parents can also adjust the content maturity level of their child’s account, manage their access to games, and view detailed screen time statistics.

Under new online safety regulations, tech companies must address harmful content on their platforms or face substantial fines.

Roblox, the UK’s most popular gaming platform among 8 to 12-year-olds, has faced concerns about bullying, grooming, and exposure to inappropriate content.

Matt Kaufman, Roblox’s chief safety officer, emphasized the company’s commitment to safety, striving to be the world’s safest online platform.

With over 80 million daily players, 40% under the age of 13, Roblox is one of the largest gaming platforms globally, surpassing the combined monthly users of Nintendo Switch and Sony PlayStation.

In the past year, Roblox introduced 40 safety updates, including restrictions on direct messaging for users under 13 and improved voice safety technology.

Andy Burrows, CEO of the Molly Rose Foundation, welcomed the safety improvements but highlighted the ongoing challenges with inappropriate content on Roblox.

He raised concerns about age-inappropriate games and communities on the platform, urging Roblox to address these issues for the safety of younger users.

Last month, Roblox’s co-founder and CEO, David Baszucki, expressed the platform’s focus on user protection and emphasized the importance of parental involvement in deciding whether children should use Roblox.

Source: www.theguardian.com

CEOpromotes Child Protecting parents from worrying about kids Roblox games

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The platform’s CEO advises parents concerned about their children using Lobras not to allow them to use it.

Reports of bullying and grooming have surfaced, making the site the most popular among UK gamers aged 8 to 12, raising fears of exposure to explicit or harmful content.

David Basizakki, co-founder and CEO of Roblox, told BBC News that the platform is committed to safeguarding users and that millions have had positive experiences on the site.

However, he emphasized the importance of parental comfort and empowerment in making decisions regarding their children’s use of Roblox, mentioning the platform’s vigilance against negative behaviors and its collaboration with law enforcement when necessary.

Justin Roberts from Mumsnet highlighted the challenge parents face in monitoring their children’s online activities, especially with multiple children, expressing how managing their children’s Roblox use is a common struggle among forum users.

Roblox, a US-based company, boasts a large user base, surpassing the Nintendo Switch and Sony PlayStation combined, with over 80 million daily players in 2024, 40% of whom are under 13 years old.

The platform enforces consequences for misbehavior, utilizes advanced AI systems to detect problematic behaviors, and limits certain features for younger users to enhance safety.

Baszucki emphasized a zero-tolerance policy towards inappropriate content and shared that Roblox follows strict age-rating guidelines based on content and game titles.

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Baszucki and Cassel founded Roblox in 2004, initially opening it to the public in 2006 after realizing its potential beyond educational use.

As the platform’s popularity grew, safety measures were introduced, marking a significant turning point when the digital currency Robux was launched, propelling Roblox to a $41 billion valuation.

Robux is used by players to acquire items and unlock content, with content creators earning a percentage of the fees and pricing adapting dynamically based on popularity.

Baszucki envisions Roblox as the future of communication, focusing on creating metaverse-style experiences where users interact through avatars in a virtual world, aiming to engage 10% of global gamers.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Parental Control in Roblox: Grooming Warnings for Kids’ Activities

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Roblox, a popular children’s gaming platform, is increasing parental monitoring to address concerns about child grooming, exploitation, and inappropriate content. The platform will now restrict young users from accessing certain content that may be violent, crude, or frightening.

Starting from Monday, parents will have access to a dashboard on their phones where they can see their kids’ interactions, daily usage time, and age. This feature aims to provide accurate recording of children’s activities.

Users under 9 will be limited to “mild” rated games and will require parental approval to access “moderate” content. These ratings differentiate between unrealistic violence and more realistic portrayals of violence.

Furthermore, pre-teens will not be able to chat outside the game as part of global rule tightening. Roblox has become a popular online destination for children aged 8-12 in the UK, after major platforms like Google, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

In response to recent reports of concerning content on the site, Roblox is taking measures to increase safety. The company’s automated software already monitors text and multimedia content to enforce community standards.

Despite the platform’s millions of user-generated game worlds enjoyed by millions of users daily, concerns remain about inappropriate content and interactions. Roblox has faced criticism for hosting games with themes of violence, depression, and even racism.

Calls for better protection of children using Roblox have intensified, prompting the company to implement stricter controls and monitoring. The company remains committed to maintaining safety and civility on the platform.

New restrictions on age-appropriate content and parental controls will be implemented in the coming weeks to enhance child protection measures on Roblox.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Should Parents be Concerned About Roblox Safety? Exploring the Risks of Pushing the Button

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RJust before last week's newsletter was published, a short selling firm called Hindenburg Research issued the following report. Highly critical report on Roblox. In it, they accuse public companies of inflating their metrics (and thus their valuations), and even more worryingly for the parents of the millions of children who use Roblox. He also called it a “pedophile's hellscape.'’ The report claims that there were some gruesome discoveries within the game. Researchers found chat rooms of people purporting to exchange images and videos of children, and users claiming to be children or teens offering such material in exchange for Robux, an in-game currency. I discovered it. roblox I strongly refuse The claims made by Hindenburg in his report.

For those unfamiliar with the title, Roblox is more of a platform than a game (or, as corporate communicators like to think of it, a metaverse). It claims 80 million daily users (though Hindenburg says this figure is inflated). Log in, customize your avatar, and from there you can dive into thousands of different “experiences” created by other users. From role-playing cities to pizza delivery mini-games to cops-and-robbers games to cops-and-robbers games and, unfortunately, much less, Public Bathroom Simulator (which the creators say was 12 years old before they realized bad people existed) It is a delicious dish that looks like the one that he made at the time of his death. Roblox games are created by players, so the site must be constantly moderated. The company's moderation team handles a huge amount of content every day.

It's important to recognize that Hindenburg has a vested interest in making Roblox a stock tank. Hindenburg has a short position in the company (meaning it stands to profit if the stock price falls). Several other companies I've seen their stocks crater after releasing a report on them. However, it is also possible to independently verify some of the claims made in the report. A very quick search of the platform reveals that these in-game chat groups that appear to be soliciting and trading images do indeed exist and are active. And the accounts with questionable usernames that reference child abuse and Jeffrey Epstein are genuine. Some of the specific games and accounts mentioned in Hindenburg's report last week have been removed by the company.

Roblox defended itself in a statement posted online, saying, “Every day, tens of millions of users of all ages have safe and positive experiences on Roblox, and we adhere to our community standards.” said. But any safety incident is terrifying. We take content and conduct that does not adhere to our standards on our platform very seriously. ” The company further added: “We are continually evolving and enhancing our safety approach to catch and prevent malicious and harmful activity, including text chat filters that block inappropriate words and phrases; , which includes disallowing image sharing between users on Roblox” (as further reported in this article in the Guardian).

If your kids are playing on a platform like Roblox, triple-check their settings. Photo: Phil Noble/Reuters

Of course, this isn't the first sensational report about Roblox. In recent years, articles in CNN, the Observer, Wired, and many other publications have found that there is a large amount of inappropriate content on the platform, and that child predators are There are also some proven cases of using Roblox for crafting. Last July, More from Bloomberg In one such case, a man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for grooming a minor and having her cross state lines to perform sex acts as part of a broader investigation into the platform's apparent flaws in moderation and child safety. He was sentenced in 2018.

Many parents are worried about what to do. Roblox is part of the daily online lives of millions of children, even if the figure of around 80 million daily users is inflated, as Hindenberg claims. Anyone who has children of school age knows that it is very widely used. Is Roblox dangerous for kids? Should they stop playing it immediately?

Despite everything presented in this and other reports over the past few years, I believe it is entirely possible for children to play Roblox safely. Appropriate parental controls are in place to limit or eliminate the extent to which strangers can contact your child. When used correctly. If I had kids playing Roblox, I'd be checking all of these settings over and over again to make sure the “friends list” feature was set to include only real-life friends. We also recommend supervising young children to minimize the likelihood that they will encounter or actually seek out the many inappropriate games that seem to regularly elude Roblox's management efforts. I'm very reluctant to let you play this game without it.

Basic online safety education is critical for all children who use the Internet. Given the multiple convictions of child predators who used Roblox to access children, it is impossible to deny the presence of pedophiles on the platform, but it is difficult to objectively assess the extent of it. It's difficult. Some of what Hindenburg highlights in his report seems to me more likely to be the product of an adolescent fringe master than an actual child predator. Roblox is full of teenagers who have grown up with the game. When you see 900 variations of the username Jeffrey Epstein, you don't necessarily see 900 active child abusers, you see 900 stupid 14-year-olds trying to be funny. .

Full disclosure: I don't let my kids play Roblox, and I have no intention of starting them. I don't believe that a publicly traded company can be trusted to put the interests and safety of children ahead of profits. Moderation is expensive and difficult. No one in the big tech industry is any closer to building a system to prevent harmful material from appearing on these types of open platforms, or to prevent people from exploiting harmful material for their own purposes. No. Legitimate safety concerns aside, rather than trying to squeeze money out of kids to pay for endless in-game cosmetics and “experiences,” it's simply better to serve kids' imaginations and curiosity. There are hundreds of great games.

Only offline games can completely eliminate this risk of children being exposed to inappropriate content. After just a few hours of exploring Roblox, one thing is abundantly clear. It's not hard to find something very problematic.

what to play

The wolf in the game Neva grows into a magnificent creature crowned with horns that protects you.

Neva, a game about a warrior and a she-wolf, surprised me. I've played so many beautiful, artistic indie platformers that it’s hard to find one that really makes me feel something. But there I was ugly crying in front of the TV after a few nights with Neva. It takes place over four seasons. The wolf starts out as a cub that you have to protect, but later grows into a magnificent creature with horns that can protect you. Use an elegant combination of jumps, double jumps, dashes, and strikes to explore an incredibly beautiful but horribly corrupt natural world and make multiple attempts to conquer the demons that poison it. Worth a few hours of anyone's life.

Available: PC, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox
Approximate play time: 3-4 hours

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The cause of the Alamo…Nintendo's new clock. Photo: Nintendo

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  • A premium book/magazine hybrid about video games. above, Released today. Guardian games correspondent Keith Stuart and I feature in issue one. Naturally, his article is about Sega arcade boards and mine is about Nintendo details.

  • game freakThe developer of Pokemon suffered a hack of almost unprecedented scale.: Details about unreleased Pokemon game and movie projects, employee information, source code, and details about the series' development. decades I'm there now.

  • To cap off a truly bizarre week of video game news: nintendo We have announced an alarm clock that watches over you while you are sleeping. It's called “Alarmo,” and it wakes you up with the not-so-gentle sounds of Mario, Splatoon, or Zelda, synchronized with your groggy morning movements. the available now For those willing to jump through a few hoops (and pay £90).

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Ofcom calls for action following allegations of Roblox being a ‘pedophile hellscape’ by US company

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Child safety activists have urged the UK’s communications watchdog to enforce new online laws following accusations that video game companies have turned their platforms into “hellscapes for adult pedophiles.” They are calling for “gradual changes.”

Last week, Roblox, a popular gaming platform with 80 million daily users, came under fire for its lax security controls. An investment firm in the US criticized Roblox, claiming that its games expose children to grooming, pornography, violent content, and abusive language. The company has denied these claims and stated that safety and civility are fundamental to their operations.

The report highlighted concerning issues such as users seeking to groom avatars, trading in child pornography, accessible sex games, violent content, and abusive behavior on Roblox. Despite these concerns, the company insists that millions of users have safe and positive experiences on the platform, and any safety incidents are taken seriously.

Roblox, known for its user-generated content, allows players to create and play their own games with friends. However, child safety campaigners emphasize the need for stricter enforcement of online safety laws to protect young users from harmful content and interactions on platforms like Roblox.

Platforms like Roblox will need to implement measures to protect children from inappropriate content, prevent grooming, and introduce age verification processes to comply with the upcoming legislation. Ofcom, the regulator responsible for enforcing these laws, is expected to have broad enforcement powers to ensure user safety.

In response, a Roblox spokesperson stated that the company is committed to full compliance with the Online Safety Act, engaging in consultations and assessments to align with Ofcom’s guidelines. They look forward to seeing the final code of practice and ensuring a safe online environment for all users.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Roblox: The Evolution of Advergames as a Marketing Tool for Companies

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IBlocky World Chipotle Burrito BuilderIn Chipotle, players don the uniforms of the Tex-Mex restaurant chain and make burritos for virtual customers. Available toppings are taken from Chipotle’s real-world menu; shirts and caps feature the Chipotle logo. And when the game launched two years ago, the first 100,000 players earned “Burrito Bucks” to use in their burritos. Chipotle website.

after that Hyundai Mobility Adventure You can test drive models made by Korean manufacturers. Samsung Galaxy Station Here’s a mockup of the company’s latest smartphone designed to help travel to extraterrestrial worlds. Telefonica Town The challenge is to climb an assault course made from products featured in the telecommunications giant’s catalog. Vans World They just hand you a skateboard so you can do a few kickflips in a park plastered with shoe companies’ logos.

These are just a few of the corporate theme parks available. Robloxis one of the world’s most popular online video game platforms, with an average of 77 million players per day earlier this year, and is especially popular with children and younger players (58% of users self-reported as being under 16 years old). The end of last year), Roblox lets you explore fantastical virtual worlds, jumping over obstacles, finding hidden collectibles, and role-playing different tasks just like a kid would on the playground.

But the platform’s biggest selling point is its basic development tools, which allow anyone with little to no computer knowledge to create and share their own video games. Though this toolset is limited by design, it has attracted many people over the past few years, and not just aspiring game developers. This toolset has made Roblox a favorite playground for corporate advertisers, who use the development tools to create branded Roblox games to share with the game’s millions of players.

These advergames (advertisements presented in the form of video games) typically sprinkle corporate branding onto a set of game mechanics simple enough for Roblox’s younger player base. Broader suspicions Criticism that Roblox does not adequately protect children (which the company denies) has led to companies rushing to develop ad-supported games. Brands from Walmart to Wimbledon, McDonald’s to Gucci, Nike to the BBC have launched ad-supported games on the platform. Some have garnered hundreds of thousands of hits, others tens of millions. Seeking more brand involvement By promoting its large, young user base as a major attraction in a competitive advertising market.

An action shot from Vans World, where the company built a virtual skatepark in Roblox complete with footwear messaging. Photo: Vans / Roblox

“In the context of the attention economy, where consumers are exposed to hundreds, even thousands, of ads a day, capturing and maintaining attention is crucial,” says Yusuf Ochi, associate professor of marketing at Bayes Business School, City, University of London. “We are exposed to thousands of ads every day, many of which we don’t remember. Advagames circumvent these filters more effectively by integrating brand messaging into games.”

Öç’s own research has found that ads that utilize interactive features like touching, swiping, and tilting a phone screen can influence consumer preferences and purchase intent. Roblox allows brands to bring these interactive elements into a ready-made, engaging space.

“Roblox’s popularity with a younger demographic opens up new avenues for us to reach and engage the next generation of consumers in a sector where we’re already investing heavily,” said Robert Jan van Dormael, vice president of marketing for consumer audio at Samsung-owned Harman.

JBL, one of Harman’s hi-fi brands, released an official Roblox game in February, where players can collect audio snippets and arrange them into custom tracks, explore pastel-colored worlds and collect virtual currency to spend on cosmetic headphones and portable speakers, all accurately modeled after real-life JBL products. Since its release, it has attracted 1.4 million players, with average playtime over six minutes and engagement metrics orders of magnitude higher than other games. A few seconds A person typically spends an hour reading a social media post…

Source: www.theguardian.com