Roblox is implementing its most significant safety overhaul to date, rolling out age verification, bracket-based chat restrictions, and new parental controls in response to a wave of lawsuits and mounting concerns about predatory behavior on the platform.
If your child plays Roblox — and statistically, there is a good chance they do — there are things you need to understand about what is changing and what experts are still warning about.
Why Roblox Is Making These Changes Now
Roblox has more than 150 million daily active users, and a large portion of them are children between the ages of six and sixteen. For years, the platform’s open chat system allowed users to communicate freely, regardless of age difference. Child safety organizations and law enforcement agencies reported an increase in cases of predators using Roblox’s in-game chat to contact children, groom them, share personal information, and pressure them to move conversations to private platforms.
Following multiple lawsuits and growing media scrutiny, Roblox began rolling out age verification in January 2026. In April, the company announced it would restructure its entire account system into age-based tiers launching in June 2026 — Roblox Kids for ages 5 to 8 and Roblox Select for ages 9 to 15.
For more detail on exactly how those new accounts work, see our full breakdown of Roblox’s Kids and Select account launch coming in June.
How the New Safety System Works
The new system places users into communication groups based on age. Here is what parents need to know by age range:
Ages 5–8 (Roblox Kids): Communication is disabled entirely by default. Children in this group cannot chat with other users unless a parent explicitly enables it. Game access is limited to curated, age-appropriate content.
Ages 9–15 (Roblox Select): Communication settings remain similar to the current experience, but content access is limited to games that have passed additional review criteria.
Ages 16 and up: No change to the existing experience.
Age verification is done through Roblox’s global age-check system, which may ask users to take a selfie or show a valid ID. Parents can also verify their child’s age directly through parental confirmation.
What Experts Are Warning About
The implementation of age verification has not been without controversy. Child safety experts, including Houston-based Crime Stoppers CEO Rania Mankarios, have raised concerns that predators will not simply disappear — they will adapt, potentially migrating to other platforms or finding new ways around Roblox’s verification system.
Mankarios specifically advises parents to stop thinking of Roblox as “just a game” and treat it as a social media platform. The ability for children to chat with strangers, share information, and be pressured into off-platform conversations is the core risk — and it exists on many apps and platforms beyond Roblox.
Roblox’s own age verification system faced criticism earlier in 2026 after reports that users were bypassing age checks using modified screenshots, and that Roblox’s AI-powered verification was misidentifying ages. The company’s Chief Safety Officer acknowledged the issues and committed to ongoing improvement.
What Parents Should Do Right Now
Regardless of what Roblox’s systems do automatically, there are steps parents can take immediately:
- Check your child’s Roblox account settings. Go to Privacy settings and review who can message your child, who can join their games, and who can follow them.
- Enable parental controls. Roblox’s parental dashboard lets you link your account to your child’s and monitor activity.
- Complete the age check. Make sure your child’s account has an accurate age check on file so the new June account tiers apply correctly.
- Talk to your kids. Technology can restrict access, but conversation about online safety is the most effective protection.
- Look at what games your child is playing. Not all Roblox experiences are equal. Some are simple games; others are more social and open-ended.
Roblox Also Uses AI to Review Content
Roblox’s moderation systems use AI to review games and experiences created by adult developers, helping to catch inappropriate content before it reaches younger players. The company employs both automated scanning and human moderation teams, though at the scale of 150 million daily active users, gaps in moderation are inevitable.
If you are interested in what Roblox games are popular right now, our Roblox codes guide for the best experiences covers some of the most-played titles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Roblox safe for children after these changes?
The new account tiers and age verification significantly improve baseline safety for younger users. However, no platform is completely risk-free, and parental awareness and communication remain the most important factors.
Can children still talk to strangers on Roblox?
For Roblox Kids accounts (ages 5–8), chat is disabled by default. For Roblox Select (ages 9–15), communication settings are more permissive but still have guardrails. Parents can adjust settings through parental controls.
What if my child has lied about their age on Roblox?
Roblox’s new age verification system is designed to catch this, but it is not foolproof. If your child’s account has an incorrect age, you can update it through parental confirmation in Roblox’s settings.
Are these changes happening everywhere or just in the US?
Roblox is rolling out the age-based accounts globally, though the specific ages, available games, and features may vary by region due to local regulations.
When do the new safety features go live?
The Roblox Kids and Roblox Select account tiers are expected to launch in early June 2026. Age verification is already rolling out now.
The Bottom Line for Parents
Roblox’s safety overhaul is a meaningful step in the right direction, but it is not a substitute for engaged parenting. Use the platform’s new tools, talk to your children about online safety, and treat Roblox the same way you would any other social platform where your child can interact with strangers.
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