Roblox Under Fire Lawsuits, Unsafe Chat, and the New AI Age-Check Rollout

Roblox Under Fire Lawsuits, Unsafe Chat, and the New AI Age-Check Rollout

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1. What’s Going On: Why Roblox Is Being Sued

Multiple lawsuits have now been filed against Roblox, accusing the platform of failing to protect child users from dangerous or predatory behavior.

• Louisiana: Attorney General Liz Murrill sued Roblox, alleging that its safety measures are inadequate and that Roblox has become “a place for pedophiles.” The Washington Post+2TruLaw+2
• Kentucky: Another lawsuit claims Roblox lacks proper age verification, content filtering, and parental notification, putting children at risk. AP News
• Texas: The state accuses Roblox of “flagrantly” ignoring online-safety laws, saying it misled parents about child risk and allowed adult strangers to access kids via open chats. MEDIANAMA

Key Allegations in the Lawsuits:

1. Poor Age Verification
   • Plaintiffs argue that Roblox was relying only on self-reported birthdays to determine age. cpmlegal.com+2CCN.com+2
   • This supposedly allowed adults to pose as minors and communicate with real children without real safety checks. TruLaw+1
2. Unsafe Communication Features
   • Before the new changes, adults could message kid accounts via private messages or in-game chat. cpmlegal.com
   • There are claims of “unsupervised interaction” between children and adults within the platform’s many user-created experiences. CCN.com+2ABC News+2
3. Inappropriate or Explicit Content
   • Legal complaints mention sexualized user-created games like “condo games” or “strip club”–like experiences, which plaintiffs say exploit safety loopholes. MEDIANAMA
4. Lack of Parental Controls & Transparency
   • Lawsuits say parents are misled about how “safe” Roblox is. MEDIANAMA+2CCN.com+2
   • They demand better age verification, content filtering, and parental alerts. ABC News+1

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2. Research & Expert Findings: Just How Risky Is Roblox?

It’s not just lawsuits independent researchers and experts have raised red flags too.

• A study by Revealing Reality (shared with The Guardian) found that children could easily access sexually suggestive content and communicate unsupervised with adult accounts. The Guardian
• The report also claimed that predators could exploit the platform’s weak verification to approach youth. CCN.com+1
• Many parents have shared stories of their children being exposed to “inappropriate conversations or content” in Roblox experiences. The Guardian

These findings support many of the claims from the lawsuits suggesting that Roblox’s existing safety tools may not be enough.

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3. Roblox’s Response & New Safety Measures

Roblox has defended itself publicly and announced major changes:

A. Public Statement

• Roblox said it does not intentionally put users at risk, calling the claims “categorically untrue.” Roblox
• It highlighted that it has introduced over 40 new safety features in recent months. Roblox
• Roblox also emphasized its AI-based tools and 24/7 moderation staffed by thousands of specialists. Roblox

B. AI-Based Age Estimation

• Roblox is working with a company called Persona to estimate users’ ages using “selfie-video” (face scanning). TechCrunch
• The goal: assign users to age brackets and limit chat accordingly, preventing strangers who are adults from messaging children in ways that could be unsafe. The Guardian+1
• Once verified, users will be placed into one of six age categories: Under 9, 9–12, 13–15, 16–17, 18–20, and 21+. The Verge
• Based on their estimated age, chat access is restricted: younger users won’t be able to freely message older or adult users unless there is a “trusted connection.” The Verge
• According to Roblox, the video used for verification is deleted immediately after the age is processed. The Verge

C. Policy Changes for User-Created Content

• Roblox is tightening rules for “social experiences”: private areas (like bedrooms or bathrooms) will only be available to verified users aged 17 or older. The Times of India
• Games with mature settings (e.g., bars or clubs) will also require age verification. The Times of India
• Roblox is launching automated systems to detect and remove content that violates the new child-safety rules. The Times of India

D. Collaborating with External Safety & Rating Organizations

• They are partnering with IARC (International Age Rating Coalition) to implement standardized ratings on user-created experiences. TechCrunch
• Roblox claims to have “rigorous text filters” to block explicit language and attempts to solicit personal information. Roblox

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4. What the New Age Verification Actually Means for Users

Starting December 2025 in some markets (like Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands), Roblox will begin rolling out the age-estimation check for anyone using chat. The Verge
The global expansion is planned for January 2026. The Verge

How the age groups will work:

• Players under 9, or ages 9–12, etc., will only be allowed to chat with other users in the same or nearby age brackets. The Verge
• Adult users (18+) will be limited in who they can message if the other person is significantly younger, unless they are “trusted connections.” The Verge
• If a user doesn’t pass the age-check, they may lose the ability to chat altogether. (According to early test reports.) Reddit

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5. Why This Is Happening Bigger Context and Risks

🔍 Regulatory Pressure

• Several U.S. states are now suing Roblox. The criticism is not just moral it’s legal. MEDIANAMA
• Age-verification laws globally are tightening. Roblox’s new system is likely a response. TechCrunch
• There’s growing demand for platforms to separate adult and child users in communication to prevent grooming.

⚠️ Privacy Concerns

• Some users are worried about the facial-scanning system. According to Reddit posts, not everyone trusts it: “Every system still gets hacked … Persona does not even delete photos immediately … stores photos and IDs up to a week.” Reddit
• Others are concerned about false age estimation. A comment read: “If people get misflagged … bad people will get misflagged too … then talk to 13+ again.” Reddit

🧩 Safety vs. Usability Tradeoff

• Younger users or parents may find it harder to access chat features.
• There’s a risk that “trusted connections” could be misused or mischaracterized, depending on how Roblox enforces it.
• Some worry about the burden on Roblox to accurately verify millions of users, and the “soft spots” of AI estimation.

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6. ltas Gaming’s Take (Expert Opinion)

From Altas Gaming’s perspective:

• This is a strong move: The age verification system is a meaningful response to real legal and safety issues.
• Not perfect, but necessary: Yes, there are privacy risks. But for many, limiting contact between adults and children is more urgent.
• Long-term value: If Roblox can roll this out responsibly, it could become a benchmark for child safety in user-generated game platforms.
• Watch closely: The success of this depends on how well Persona’s technology works, how well Roblox enforces age-bracket rules, and if they keep iterating based on parent / expert feedback.

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7. What’s Next What to Expect Going Forward

• Global rollout of the age estimation feature in early 2026.
• Policy refinement: As Roblox gathers data, they may refine who can talk to whom, and possibly tighten more.
• More legal actions: Given ongoing lawsuits, Roblox may face more pressure or be forced to settle / change more.
• Transparency push: Expect calls for regular safety reports, or dashboards for parents.
• Third-party scrutiny: Non-profits, governments, and researchers may audit Roblox’s age-verification accuracy and safety efficacy.

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FAQs ❓

Q1: Why does Roblox need to verify age now?
Because of rising lawsuits and critiques that its chat system lets adults contact children too freely. MEDIANAMA+1

Q2: How does Roblox estimate my age?
By asking users to take a short video selfie or upload ID; the data is processed by Persona. TechCrunch+1

Q3: What happens if I fail the age check?
You risk losing chat access. Some users in beta reports say unverified users are locked out of chat. Reddit

Q4: Will adults still be able to talk to kids if they are “trusted connections”?
Yes, but only under stricter conditions, and only if both users meet the age-estimation criteria. The Verge+1

Q5: Are under-13 users totally safe now?
Not entirely. While age checks can help, some lawsuits argue that older safeguards were weak or ineffective. CCN.com

Q6: Does Roblox store my selfie or video forever?
Roblox says the selfie or video used for age estimation is deleted right after processing, but some users claim Persona may temporarily retain data. The Verge+1

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🔚 Final Thoughts

Roblox’s new AI-based age verification is a major step but it’s also a response to very serious criticism. The lawsuits and research show that many people believe the platform is not safe enough for young kids right now.
If implemented well, the new system could make Roblox significantly safer. But it also comes with real questions about privacy, accuracy, and long-term trust.

For parents, it could mean more peace of mind (if verified correctly).
For Roblox, it’s a pivotal moment: balance safety with openness or risk more legal and reputational fallout.

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