Roblox implemented mandatory age verification for its chat feature last week to counter allegations of child predators grooming users on the platform. The system requires a facial age estimate selfie or government ID upload for users 13 and older, limiting chats to age-matched groups.
The verification process activates upon attempting to use Roblox’s chat functionality. Users submit a selfie for an automated facial age estimate, which analyzes facial features to approximate age. Alternatively, individuals aged 13 and older can upload a government-issued ID, such as a driver’s license or passport, for manual or automated confirmation. Once verified, the system restricts communication to players within designated age brackets, including 13-15, 16-17, 18-20, and 21 and above.
This measure responds to increasing reports of predators exploiting Roblox to target young children. Such incidents prompted legal actions, including lawsuits filed by attorneys general from Louisiana, Texas, and Kentucky against the company. Separately, Florida’s attorney general issued criminal subpoenas to investigate related activities on the platform.
Wired published a report on Tuesday detailing early flaws in the system, less than a week after its launch. The article cited cases where adults received incorrect age classifications. A 23-year-old user was identified as 16 to 17 years old. That individual stated, “I don’t want to be chatting with fucking children.” Another instance involved an 18-year-old placed in the 13- to 15-year-old category.
Errors also occurred in the opposite direction, with children bypassing restrictions. Online videos demonstrated minors using manipulated avatar images to appear older. One child applied drawn wrinkles and stubble to their face in a selfie, resulting in a 21+ classification. Another held up a photo of Kurt Cobain, receiving an adult age verification.
Additional complications arose from parental involvement. Roblox acknowledged last week that some parents performed age checks for their children, causing those children to be assigned to the 21+ category. The company posted that it is “working on solutions to address” this issue and plans to share updates soon.
Roblox developers voiced strong opposition on the platform’s dev forum. The forum accumulated thousands of negative comments regarding the update, with numerous developers calling for its complete reversal. One developer shared a graph illustrating a sharp decline in chat feature usage, dropping from around 90 percent to 36.5 percent following implementation.
Several developers reported that games on Roblox now feel “lifeless” or like “a total ghost town” due to reduced player interaction from the chat restrictions.
