Roblox’s Facial Age Estimation process protects user privacy, with all images deleted immediately after processing

SAN MATEO, Calif.: Roblox Corporation (NYSE: RBLX), an immersive gaming and creation platform, announced that starting today, users in the U.S. will be required to complete an age check to chat with others. Over the next week, this requirement will roll out to all regions where chat is available. With this change, Roblox becomes the first large online gaming platform to require age checks for users of all ages to access chat. This marks an important investment in user safety and enables age-appropriate communication and limits conversations between adults and minors.

Roblox began requiring the age check for chat access in December in Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands, following its phased rollout announcement in November. To date, over 50% of daily active users in Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands have already completed the age check. Globally, tens of millions of users have already completed the age check, and Roblox anticipates many more to follow.

“Our commitment to safety is rooted in delivering the highest level of protection for our users,” said Matt Kaufman, Chief Safety Officer at Roblox. “By building proactive, age-based barriers, we can empower users to create and connect in ways that are both safe and appropriate.”

Taking a Privacy-Focused Approach to Age Checks

Age checks are private, fast, and secure, and completed through the Roblox app using the device’s camera in seconds. Images and videos completed through Facial Age Estimation are securely processed by our vendor, Persona, and deleted immediately after processing. Users age 13 and up can also choose to verify their age through ID verification. Age checks are totally optional; however, features like chat will not be accessible unless an age check is complete.

In cases that may need correcting, Roblox has customer support systems and appeal processes for users to report inaccuracies. For example, users who want to appeal their age check can verify their age using alternative methods, including ID verification or parental controls that allow parents to update their child’s age. Roblox does not stop once the age-check process is complete. Leveraging multiple signals, Roblox is constantly evaluating user behavior to determine if someone is significantly older or younger than expected. In these situations Roblox will soon begin asking users to repeat the age-check process.

Age Groups and Chat Access

Once users complete an age check, they are assigned to one of six age groups: under 9, 9–12, 13–15, 16–17, 18–20, and 21+. By default, users in each age group can chat with users in the groups directly above and below theirs (i.e., users 9-12 can chat with users in their own group, as well as those in the under 9 and 13-15 groups.)

To safeguard Roblox’s youngest users, chat is turned off by default for children under age 9, unless a parent provides consent after an age check.

Tools for Parents and Caregivers

Parents can gain more visibility into their child’s experience on Roblox with Roblox’s parental controls, which allow them to review their child’s age-check status, update a child’s birthday, and more. Additionally, parents can visit Roblox’s Safety Center, a dedicated resource for parents and caregivers that provides clear guides and tools to help them make informed decisions, set up parental controls, and support their child’s online experience.

Multilayered Approach to Safety

Requiring age checks for chat is a key step in Roblox’s broader approach to safety, which also includes strict communication rules for minors, proactive content moderation, and robust parental controls. This work will enable several upcoming enhancements, including requiring age checks for creators to access Roblox Studio’s real-time collaboration features and systems to make it easier for children to chat with their parents and siblings in different age groups.

Resources

• A New Era of Safety: Facial Age Checks Now Required to Chat on Roblox
• Roblox Expands Facial Age Checks for Communication
• Roblox Requires Age Checks for Communication, Ushering in New Safety Standard
• Roblox Announces Age Estimation Plan
• Roblox’s Vision for Age-Based Communication
• Roblox Launches New Parent Council
• Roblox Safety Center

About Roblox

Roblox is an immersive gaming and creation platform that offers people millions of ways to be together, inviting its community to explore, create, and share endless unique experiences. Roblox’s vision is to reimagine the way people come together-in a world that’s safe, civil, and optimistic. To achieve this vision, Roblox is building an innovative company that, together with the community, has the ability to strengthen the social fabric and support economic growth for people around the world. For more about Roblox, please visit corp.Roblox.com.

Roblox and the Roblox logo are among the registered and unregistered trademarks of Roblox Corporation in the United States and other countries. © 2026 Roblox Corporation. All rights reserved.

Fonte: Business Wire