Roblox begins this Tuesday (16) to implement accounts in Brazil with automatic age limitations for users under 16, with different rules for access to games and communication.
The platform will separate profiles into two categories for children and teenagers, in addition to the standard account. The new modalities are Roblox Kids, for ages five to eight, and Roblox Select, for those aged nine to 15. Roblox is a virtual world with several games. There, people can create an avatar, create games, and share and play 3D interactive experiences with each other.
Roblox kids: accounts for people aged five to eight will have restricted access to a selected catalog of games. The company says that these profiles are limited to experiences with a “minimum” or “moderate” maturity rating and that the list of titles is updated dynamically. Chat and other communication features are disabled by default in kids mode. The idea, according to the company, is to reduce unsupervised contact and make it easier for guardians to identify the type of account, including through visual changes in the app (the kids account has a blue background).
Roblox select: for users aged nine to 15. They also have a selected catalogue. In this range, access can include games with a maturity label up to “moderate”, and the default communication settings remain as they were for ages nine to 15. Chat is allowed with restrictions.
Those who do not perform an age check will have stricter limitations until they complete the process. According to Roblox, profiles without age verification are restricted to games classified as “minimal” or “moderate” and without access to communication; After verification, the user is automatically directed to the corresponding account type.
Roblox uses image age verification technology. The person uses the cell phone camera, turns their face to the side, and the system estimates their age, with an accuracy of 1.3 years. If someone feels that the estimate is not appropriate, they can submit a document.
HOW GAME SELECTION AND PARENTAL CONTROLS WORK
In parental control, the guardian must connect to their child’s account. There you can see the games he accesses, how long he spent in each game, block experiences, set screen time and release chat. The guardian can also specify the age of the child – in case the facial validation system has not inferred the age correctly.
Roblox says it will maintain a continuous process to decide which games appear for children under 16. The company states that, in addition to the existing moderation, it will apply an extra evaluation that includes developer verification and content analysis to classify the maturity of the experiences.
Criteria include identity verification and requirements for creators who want to reach younger audiences. Roblox states that developers need to undergo ID verification, enable two-step verification, and maintain an active Roblox Plus subscription.
Parental controls gain new options and are available for longer. The company says that guardians will be able to block specific games and manage chat settings up to 15 years old, in addition to manually approving access to games that are not allowed in the account default.
The company also plans to change the indicative rating system in 2026. The platform intends to migrate to the IARC (International Age Rating Coalition) standard.
ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE IN APRIL
The package of age accounts and parental controls was announced on April 13, but is now arriving in Brazil. At the time, Roblox founder and CEO David Baszuck said that the company would create a unified model for age verification, communication standards and access to content for younger users.
The company stated that users aged 16 and over should not see any changes to the experience. The company also said it expects those under 16, after verification, to have access to most of the games they already use.
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Brazil and several countries around the world have created legislation to protect children and adolescents on the internet. Here, ECA Digital was approved last year and came into force this year. The set of rules allows the use of games and social networks, but as long as there are parental control systems and content filters for this audience.
While Brazil allows it with restrictions, some countries have a more radical stance. Australia, Indonesia and recently the United Kingdom announced that they will ban children under 16 from accessing social networks.
Furthermore, Roblox, a platform accessed by many minors, had several reports of abuse. Last year, for example, the platform allowed minors to be exposed to bimbos and “job girls”, with some considering it a “perfect place for pedophiles”.
Current measures attempt to make the platform safer for minors. With parental control and indicative rating, the platform, in theory, becomes a less dangerous place for children and teenagers.
HOW TO SET UP A RESPONSIBLE ACCOUNT ON ROBLOX
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- The person responsible must create an account on Roblox and verify age – something that is required during the process;
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- Then, from the child’s account, go to Settings and choose Parental Controls;
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- Go to Add responsible and include the email with which you created the Roblox account; then, access the email and follow the recommendations;
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- With the account linked, the parent can manage what their child does by going to Settings > Parent Controls. There you can block or allow games, configure content controls and who you can chat with.
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Source: www.noticiasaominuto.com.br
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