Has Roblox Finally Gotten Serious About Child Safety?
By Movieguide® Contributor
Roblox’s new parental control update gives parents more options than ever to pick and choose the content and experiences their kids have access to.
By default, the update blocks users from being able to privately message users under the age of 13 while also limiting the content labels young users are allowed to access. Previously, all users could chat with each other and content was rated by age rather than content labels — which range from minimal to extreme.
“Labeling experiences based purely on age does not respect the diverse expectations different families have,” Roblox said in a statement. “Today, we’re launching simplified descriptions of the types of content available. Experience Guidelines will be renamed Content Labels, and we will no longer label experiences by age. Instead, we’ll label experiences based on the type of content users can expect in an experience. These updates should provide parents greater clarity to make informed decisions about what is appropriate for their child.”
READ MORE: WILL THIS ROBLOX CHANGE FINALLY PROTECT YOUNG GAMERS?
The gaming platform began to perform this overhaul after being labeled a “pedophile hellscape” by the National Center on Sexual Exploitation in October. These changes, which give parents more control, were brought about with the help of the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) and the National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE).
“As parents look for ways to stay informed and engaged in their children’s digital lives, Roblox’s enhanced parental controls are a considerable leap forward,” FOSI CEO Stephen Balkam said. “By offering robust tools for non-intrusive monitoring and privacy, Roblox is providing families with the confidence they need to foster a secure and enriching online environment.”
“With the development of more parental controls, Roblox is addressing what all companies should be addressing: the need to improve safety features for kids and empower parents with the tools they need to help their kids navigate the complex media ecosystem,” added NAMLE executive director Michelle Ciulla Lipkin.
READ MORE: ROBLOX REVEALS LATEST STEP TO PROTECT KIDS. WILL IT WORK?
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