Roblox, an online game platform and game creation system, popular among children from all over the world, has begun rolling out age verification. The platform owned by the California-based Roblox Corporation has hundreds of millions of users and has millions of games that could be played on its platform. However, most of the players using Roblox are minors – more than half of the current Roblox users are under the age of 13, and approximately 2/3 of all users are under 16.
Age verification has been seen as the next logical step for the company as they plan to introduce a feature called Spatial Voice. The new game feature currently in beta testing allows users to engage in voice chat within spatial voice distances. Users who are not age verified will not be able to hear or speak with others using the feature. The age verification request is not immediately available to all users but will continue to roll out until all users have the option to choose to be verified.
The actual verification consists of two steps – players will have to upload a copy of their ID to the account and then upload a selfie that would allow Roblox to confirm that the ID and the selfie match. Roblox claims that they will not store raw ID data of the document nor the selfie. However, many believe that the step may cause trouble for teenagers over thirteen years old but do not have a government-issued ID but want to take advantage of the new game feature.
Age verification is not the only new rule on Roblox. The California-based company also announced that they would not allow screaming, political content, and depictions of natural disasters or real-world tragedies. In addition, influencers and content creators will also be penalized if they give away game codes or in-game digital goods outside Roblox. The company’s goal is to make sure that users can only exchange Roblox goods solely within the game environment.
Roblox has experienced significant growth of active users since the Covid-19 pandemic began. The already popular game platform was seen by many as a safe option to socialize and entertain each other while maintaining social distancing. Roblox appears to be putting a lot of effort into maintaining safety on their platform – check out the extra steps you can take to keep your children safe while playing.
Panda Security specializes in the development of endpoint security products and is part of the WatchGuard portfolio of IT security solutions. Initially focused on the development of antivirus software, the company has since expanded its line of business to advanced cyber-security services with technology for preventing cyber-crime.
