With the growing pressure on Roblox to address its reputation as a “playground for sexual predators,” the company announced that it will expand the use of its facial age estimation technology to all users of its integrated communication systems. Roblox claims that this new technology, combined with its current identity verification and parental consent tools, will provide a more accurate measure of a user’s age than simply relying on what is written when creating an account.
The company does not overcome the allegations that they do not care about children at all
The age estimation technology of Roblox analyzes a selfie to estimate the user’s age and classify them into evaluation groups: under 13 years, 13+, or 18+, with varying restrictions for each category. Although this is not a new technology, its use has sparked debate, especially after the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rejected its implementation due to doubts about its effectiveness. However, the popularity of such systems continues to rise, as demonstrated by Facebook’s recent experience requiring users to submit a selfie to verify their accounts.
As Roblox faces increasing scrutiny for its inability to protect young people from the worst of the internet, it has no choice but to implement stricter measures to avoid potential regulatory sanctions. In August, a lawsuit was filed in Louisiana against Roblox Corporation, alleging that its lack of safety protocols “endangers the safety of children.”
As part of its efforts to create a safer environment, Roblox plans to restrict communications between adults and minors to only those who know each other in real life. The company hopes that these measures will set a new standard that other gaming, social media, and communication platforms can follow.
