(Credit: Roblox)
UPDATE 1/7: Roblox's mandatory facial verification for chat features is now rolling out to users worldwide. All players aged 13 or above will be prompted to complete the checks over the next week. Once verified, Roblox will place users into six age groups. Users will only be allowed to interact with people of their group or a similar age group. The move comes after a series of lawsuits alleging the platform had become a breeding ground for child sexual predators.
Original Story (10/18):
Roblox is now rolling out facial age checks and age-based grouping for chat features on a voluntary basis ahead of it becoming mandatory in select markets next month.
Once implemented, users will be asked to submit IDs or video selfies through the platform's Facial Age Estimation feature. The facial checks will be processed by a third-party vendor, Persona, and data will be deleted immediately after processing, Roblox says.
Once verified, users will be placed into one of six age groups: under 9, 9-12, 13-15, 16-17, 18-20, or 21+. By default, they can only interact with others in their own age group or similar age groups. To chat with others, they will need to add them as Trusted Connections.
(Credit: Roblox)For example, Roblox said a user estimated to be 12 can chat with kids aged 15 or younger, while anyone aged 16 or above is barred from chatting with them. On the other hand, a user estimated to be 18 can chat with users aged 16 or older and can add a younger sibling as a Trusted Connection.
Close to 40% of all Roblox users are below 13, and the new initiative follows accusations that the platform does not adequately protect its young users. Earlier this month, the Texas attorney general sued Roblox, calling it a "breeding ground for predators." Louisiana and Kentucky have filed similar suits.
Roblox says facial checks are "designed to provide even more age-appropriate experiences for all users, which we believe will improve interactions for users of all ages on Roblox."
Face Age Estimation will have a staggered release, starting with Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands in the first week of December. It will expand to other parts of the world where chat is available, including the US, in early January.
Starting next year, facial checks will also become mandatory to access social media links and user profiles, Roblox says.