Roblox launches age‑segmented accounts
Roblox announced new age‑based account types — “Roblox Kids” for ages 5–9 and “Roblox Select” for ages 9–15 — with tighter chat, content access and parental controls as part of a child‑safety push. (techcrunch.com). The move follows sustained scrutiny over grooming risks and comes alongside reporting that some parents are helping children bypass checks, which Roblox says it monitors for signs a user may be younger than they claim. (bbc.com) (theguardian.com)
Roblox said on April 13 it will split younger users into two new account types in early June, with tighter defaults for games, chat and parental controls. (ir.roblox.com) The new tiers are Roblox Kids for age-checked users 5 to 8 and Roblox Select for age-checked users 9 to 15. Roblox said the system will automatically move users into the next tier at age 9 and into a standard account at 16. (ir.roblox.com) Roblox Kids accounts will be limited to games rated “Minimal” or “Mild,” and chat is off by default. Roblox Select accounts can access games rated up to “Moderate,” while chat settings for ages 9 to 15 remain unchanged unless regional safeguards apply. (en.help.roblox.com) (ir.roblox.com) Roblox said both account types will draw from catalogs of games that pass a multistep safety review, including developer eligibility checks, automated moderation and human review. The company also said some categories, including social hangouts and free-form drawing, are limited to older users. (en.help.roblox.com) The change extends a child-safety program Roblox began in January 2026, when it started requiring users worldwide to complete an age check to access chat. Roblox said this week that more than 50 percent of global daily active users and 65 percent of United States daily active users have completed an age check. (about.roblox.com) (ir.roblox.com) Roblox says the age checks are meant to sort users into age bands and reduce contact between children, teenagers and adults in chat. The company says parents can correct a child’s age through a linked parent account, and users who have not completed an age check are placed into a default account designed for the youngest users. (about.roblox.com) (en.help.roblox.com) The rollout follows months of scrutiny over child safety on the platform. ABC reported on April 14 that Australia’s communications minister, Anika Wells, met Roblox in February after reports that children had encountered grooming, sexual material and suicidal content on the service. (abc.net.au) Roblox said in its announcement that the new system is meant to “remove the guesswork for parents” and align a user’s experience with their age. The company said age-checked users under 16 will still have access to the “vast majority” of their favorite games at launch. (abc.net.au) (ir.roblox.com) The immediate test is whether Roblox can make age-based rules stick on a platform with 111 million daily users, about 40 percent of them under 13, according to ABC’s April 14 report. Early June is when the new account labels, game filters and parental settings are scheduled to start appearing. (abc.net.au) (ir.roblox.com)
