The Truth About Roblox’s New Age Verification System

Roblox just revealed a huge safety upgrade: Starting in 2025, all users wishing to access communication features will need to complete an age check powered by AI. It will combine facial age estimation, government ID checking, and parent approval for minors. Roblox believes this new process is likely to be more accurate than just relying on the date of birth entered when signing up.

The company also believes this will keep players safe by limiting communication between adults and young players who have never interacted in real life, and hopes to set an industry-wide standard for age verification. Here's everything you need to know about the Roblox New Age Verification System.

Roblox’s Big Age Verification Push

The Roblox New Age Verification System aims to address one of its biggest safety challenges: keeping predators away from its young users. As part of the plan, users will be required to take a selfie, which AI scans to verify their age. Those figures, combined with ID checks and parental consent, would place an age group on a player: under 13, 13+, 18+. Based on how the player is classified, the features a player can access will be limited.

For instance, if a user is identified as under 13, they will lose the ability to use private chat and voice features. Furthermore, if a player is identified as an adult, they cannot message any of the youth identified, unless there is a real-life connection first. This new programming follows the installation of more than 100 new safety features in Roblox this year, inclusive of AI moderation tools and further content filtering. This is more than compliance for Roblox alone; they want to position themselves as leaders in online safety.

Is Age Verification Enough in Roblox?

While it's a good step, many experts don't think Roblox age verification will solve its safety problem. Critics, like Ron Kerbs, the CEO at Kidas, argue that all verification systems can be circumvented – kids can borrow an ID, predators can spoof facial scans, and bad actors can still find a way to contact vulnerable users. And even if the verification process worked perfectly and assured you someone's age, it does not prevent predatory behaviour during chat and gameplay.

Cybersecurity researchers suggest that it creates privacy risks. Storing selfies and IDs introduces a second layer of data security risks. What if Roblox's servers are hacked? It's a better option than just having users provide a birthday, but it is not foolproof. As lawsuits mount against Roblox for failing to protect kids, it raises the question of whether this age check is more about how it looks than about safety for kids.

Why I Think Roblox Still Falls Short

I will take a stand here and say that I do not believe that Roblox Age Verification will be the solution. It is a burden, but it doesn't change the reality that predators don't use their ID to identify themselves. The actual problem is the behavior, and the predatory behavior that goes on while grooming, while manipulative and eventually coercive, all exist in a timeframe.

The behavior requires real-time behavioral monitoring, and not just an identity verification on one occasion. I'm also concerned about the safety vs privacy dilemma. Forcing children to submit images of themselves and their identification feels odd and invasive, mainly because the company has previously been sued due to kid safety.

I recognize that Roblox is innovating where many have not; however, as a parent or a gamer, I would want more than an age gate, I would want a sustained, real-time aspect of safety built into every single interaction and not just a locked door at the entrance. Meanwhile, consider checking out our piece on all Roblox redeem codes so that you do not miss out on any free rewards.