Roblox, the massively popular online platform used by millions of children and tweens, has rolled out a major set of safety updates aimed at giving parents more control and oversight over their children’s gaming experience. The move comes amid rising concerns about inappropriate content and child safety in digital spaces.
Roblox will also launch new content labels designed to make it easier to decide what is age-appropriate. The four new categories are “minimal,” “mild,” “moderate,” and the strongest category, “restricted,” which could include “strong violence, heavy realistic blood, moderate crude humor.”
Users younger than 9 can only access the “minimal” or “mild” content and need parental consent for “moderate.” The company said it would send an alert to the parent when a child is approaching a milestone that could change their age-based settings.
On Monday, the company acknowledged the challenge it faces in keeping its young userbase safe online.
“We are fundamentally a platform for play, which differs from other places on the internet, where the focus is on browsing or consuming content,” Kaufman wrote in the blog post. “Since the day we launched, we’ve had a growing population of younger users and we want to help keep them safe on Roblox. We take safety extremely seriously.”
Last month, a 2-month-old boy was seriously injured when a 10-year-old girl dropped him onto a tiled floor after being instructed through Roblox by a 36-year-old woman, police said.
A report last month from New York-based analyst firm Hindenberg Research called Roblox an “X-rated pedophile hellscape, exposing children to grooming, pornography, violent content and extremely abusive speech.”
Roblox strongly denied this accusation in a lengthy statement and called the report misleading, citing its heavy investment in trust and safety measures.
Key Features in the Latest Roblox Update
Announced on Monday, the new parental controls include:
- Screen Time Management: Parents can now set daily time limits that children cannot exceed.
- Direct Messaging Restrictions: Children under 13 will no longer be able to send direct messages unless a parent explicitly allows it.
- Remote Monitoring: Parents can review their child’s activity, friends list, and spending without accessing their account or device directly.
- Content Labels: New labels — “minimal,” “mild,” “moderate,” and “restricted” — allow parents to filter age-appropriate content more effectively.
- Broadcast-Only Communication: Younger users can only send broadcast messages during gameplay, limiting the risk of one-on-one interactions.
Why the Changes Matter
These updates follow several controversies and safety concerns. Roblox, which had 68.4 million daily users and $2.8 billion in revenue in 2023, has faced criticism for exposing children to unsafe interactions. A Hindenburg Research report described the platform as an “X-rated pedophile hellscape,” an accusation Roblox strongly denied, emphasizing its ongoing investments in trust and safety.
Last month, a disturbing incident made headlines when a 10-year-old girl, allegedly influenced by a 36-year-old woman via Roblox, injured a 2-month-old boy. This tragic event, along with increasing public scrutiny, has pushed Roblox to reinforce its platform’s safety protocols.
New Age-Based Content Filters
Roblox’s new content labeling system is designed to offer clarity to parents:
- Minimal: Suitable for ages under 9
- Mild: Contains some cartoonish action, no realistic violence
- Moderate: Requires parental consent for users under 13
- Restricted: May include strong violence, blood, and mature themes
Parents will also receive alerts when their child approaches an age milestone that could trigger changes in default content access or communication settings.
Roblox’s Statement on Safety
In a blog post, Matt Kaufman, Roblox’s Chief Safety Officer, acknowledged the challenges of keeping younger audiences secure in such a dynamic online space:
“We are fundamentally a platform for play… Since the day we launched, we’ve had a growing population of younger users and we want to help keep them safe on Roblox. We take safety extremely seriously.”
A New Era of Digital Parenting
These changes position Roblox as a leader in digital child protection among gaming platforms. As more children spend time online, empowering parents with tools to monitor and guide digital behavior becomes crucial.
With these enhancements, Roblox is signaling a shift towards greater transparency, accountability, and safety — an encouraging development for families navigating online gaming in 2025 and beyond.
Quick Summary
- Effective Date: April 2025 (some features to roll out through next year)
- Main Additions: Time limits, messaging restrictions, content labels
- Target Audience: Parents of children under 13 using Roblox
- Platform Response: Strong rejection of external criticisms, reaffirmed safety commitment
