Roblox: A Parents Guide to Protecting Children from Harmful Content (2023)

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We have recentlyreceived multiplereports from parents and school staff about harmful content ongaming platformRoblox. Tohelp you understand how to keep children and young people safe,we’ve created thisimportantRoblox Parents Guide.

The latest reportswe’vereceivedhave outlined worrying accounts of youngerchildren being sent ‘friend requests’ from strangers andexposureto sexualised content,within-game characters imitatingsexintheRoblox gameBrookhaven.

Due to these reports around inappropriate conversations andhighly sexualisedcontent, our Online Safety Experts have carried out further research intothe platformRoblox,specificallyits gameBrookhaven.

What is Roblox?

Roblox is an online gaming and game creation platform. Users can play and create games for others to play.The game includes social features such as friend requests and chats in which players can designanavatar and speak to others while they play.

Roblox’s daily active user figure was up 35% in 2021, reaching 49.4 million.

Players engaged 3.6 billion hours collectively on Roblox, up by 32%.

Roblox hasan opt-in age verification feature. Players must go through this verification process to engage in certain features likeSpatial(3D)Voice. This involves an ID document check and selfie match.

Source:Roblox.com

Roblox hasaPEGI ratingof 7 in the UK. The Roblox app has a rating of ‘Everyone 10+’ on Google Play Store and 12+ on the Apple App Store.Theplatform’sTerms of Usesay that users under the age of 18 require parental consent to use the services.

While there are various parental controls,there are still some instances where conduct within the game may be inappropriate, particularly for younger children, which is why we recommend you follow the advice outlined in thisRobloxParent’sGuide.

A notable risk factoris that Roblox has almost24million gameswithin the platform.As many of the games and ‘dress up’ items areuser-generated, it can be difficult to establish the intent behindeverygame or guarantee that games follow Roblox age restrictions.

OurOnlineSafetyExpertsreviewed popular footage from the game whereavatarswere seen simulating sex acts, using the power of suggestion and in-game chat functions.

For example, characters can use different moves, such asgivingCPR. While this is innocent,when this action is paired with outfits and words from chat,it can be used to simulate sex acts.

Our experts are aware that in some games a cultureof‘online dating’ exists between avatars where users mayin some cases form ‘relationships’.

Thegames that we reviewed werenot designed to facilitatesex,butit is possible to simulate sexual activity by other means. Forexample,dressing a character in swimwear,followed bybringing themupstairsto ‘cuddle’orperformingCPR in underwear.In somecases,it was possible to simulate ejaculation andbondage activities using collars and dog leashes.

Exposure to Sexualised Content – younger children may not fully understand sexual suggestion. They maysee this as a game, which can then be exploited by those with harmful intentions that would seek to groom or exploit a child.

Younger children playing the gameare more vulnerable to the effects of seeing inappropriate contentthatis considered beyond theirdevelopmental stage.Normalising sexual activity with children is often part of thegrooming process.

The concern is that this form of activity on the platform maynormaliseinappropriate interactions between other children or with adults on the platform.

Unsupervised Access – if parental controls aren’tconfigured,and young people play unsupervised, they may be at risk ofexposure toharmful content and contact from strangers.

Ineffective Moderation – while there is moderation withinRoblox,it is not guaranteed.Word filterswillfail if userscanwrite explicitwords,e.g.,sex as‘S£Gs’.

Friend Requests – some children have reported unsolicited friend requests from strangers.Roblox maysee childrenencounterpeople who useanonymityto conceal their intentions ortheirtrue age.This can be an opportunity to buildrapportand move to a more private server.

Third Party Streaming – in somecasesplatforms likeDiscordare used to live stream games and chat 1-2-1 away from the game.

In-Game Currency – the temptation or requirement tobuy in–game currencyto improvegameplaycan also be used to exploit children.OurOnlineSafetyExperts have seen other cases whereanin–game currency has been used to exploit children and young peoplebyusing the promise of rewards to encourage inappropriate sexualised behaviours.

The number one thing you can do is play the game alongside the children in your care. Watch them play tounderstandhow the game works and the types of interactions theyhave on the platform.

You can use the tipsfound in this Roblox Parents Guideto ensure they have a safer gaming experience.

Parents can add a four-digit PIN to lock an account and prevent any changes being made to account settings without permissions, including password, privacy, and settings.

Log into the Roblox Account
Go to account settings
– Browser: located in the upper-right hand corner
– Mobile App: three dots in ‘More’
Select ‘Parental Controls’
Toggle the PIN option
Create a PIN and confirm it

Source: Roblox.com

Parents canenable Account Restrictions toincrease security and control over content. Enabling restrictions will automaticallylock the accounts Contact Setting to ‘No One’ meaningusers can’t sendmessages, chatin the app or a game. They alsowon’t be able to access games on restricted lists.

These lists are pre-approved andverified as appropriatefor users under the age of 13,by Robloxbased onratings from theEntertainment Software Rating Board(ESRB).

Log into the Roblox Account
Go to account settings
– Browser: located in the upper-right hand corner
– Mobile App: three dots in ‘More’
Select ‘Parental Controls’
Toggle the Account Restrictions button
The button will turn green, and a message will be displayed: “Account Restrictions is currently enabled”

Log into the Roblox Account
Go to account settings
– Browser: located in the upper-right hand corner
– Mobile App: three dots in ‘More’
Select ‘Privacy’
Select ‘No one’ under the “Who can chat with me?” option

Source: Roblox.com

Roblox has multiple different ways to play, including in differentservers.A server acts as a ‘game manager’,which makes sure all usersseethe same thingandit also allows them to communicate inreal-time.

Each server on Roblox has up to 18 playersand not all games haveservers available.

Different Types of Servers

Private Servers–these are servers that you can create yourself and invite your friends on the platform.To create a server, youneed 100Robux(Roblox’s in-game currency).
Servers my Friends are in–you can join servers that your friends are playing in – theseserverscan also include people youdon’tknow.
Other Public Servers–these servers are full of people you don’t know – they are easily accessible to any player. Some of thepublic servers will be at full capacity at times and you will have to wait or try to join another one. There are hundreds of public servers available.

As well as following the above advice, follow these top tips:

Use our Trusted Adult Resources to teach young people about the importance of seeking help if something worries or upset them.
Download and save our Roblox Safety Card. This printable gives you step by step guidance on reporting, blocking and privacy settings.
Talk to the child in your care about Roblox and why Roblox is important to them – approach any conversation from a place of understanding instead of criticism.
Discuss privacy and safety settings together and the importance of keeping safe online. Use our Safety Ce ntr e to help you.
Talkthroughthe risksofinteracting with strangers onlineandthe importance of keeping personal information safeandhealthy boundaries.
To learn more about Roblox and the platform, check out our recent article with everything you need to know.