After facing a wave of lawsuits and investigations related to child safety, Roblox has introduced mandatory facial verification for users who want to access chat features. The company is now rolling out the requirement worldwide after initially testing it in a few markets last month.
To complete the age verification process, users must open the Roblox app, grant camera access and follow on-screen instructions for facial verification. Roblox says that once the age check is completed, any images or videos captured during the process are deleted. The verification itself is handled by a third-party vendor, Persona, which also deletes the data after processing, according to Roblox.
Roblox says users aged 13 and older can opt to verify their age using an ID instead of facial verification. While age verification remains optional overall, it is required to access communication features. Users can still play Roblox without verifying their age, but chat functions are unavailable without completing the process.
If the system incorrectly estimates a user’s age, Roblox allows appeals. Users can then verify their age through alternative methods, such as ID verification or parental controls that let parents update their child’s age.
“By using multiple signals, Roblox continuously evaluates user behavior to assess whether someone appears significantly older or younger than expected,” the company said in a blog post. “In these cases, Roblox will soon prompt users to repeat the age-verification process.”
After completing an age check, users gain access to age-based chat, which limits communication to people within similar age ranges. Roblox divides users into six age groups: under 9, 9–12, 13–15, 16–17, 18–20, and 21 and over. Users can chat with others in their own age group as well as those directly above and below it. For instance, users aged 9–12 can communicate with users under 9 and those aged 13–15, in addition to peers in their own group.
Roblox notes that chat is turned off by default for users under 9, unless a parent grants consent after completing an age verification.
The rollout of mandatory age checks follows several lawsuits related to child safety, including actions brought by the attorneys general of Texas and Louisiana. These lawsuits came after reports alleged that Roblox exposed young users to serious risks, including grooming and explicit content.
According to Roblox, the new age-verification system is intended to provide a more accurate method of confirming users’ ages than relying solely on self-reported birth years during account creation.