Key Takeaways
- Roblox now has 151.5 million daily active users, with 56% under age 16 – making it one of the largest platforms where children interact online.
- Major safety changes launched in January 2026, including mandatory facial age verification for all chat users and age-tiered communication restrictions.
- Documented safety concerns are serious: Over 13,000 child exploitation incidents were reported to authorities in 2023, and 35+ lawsuits have been filed by families.
- New parental controls are more robust than ever, but they only work when properly configured – and only within Roblox itself.
- Your child’s readiness depends on their age, maturity, and your involvement. Children under 9 require extreme caution; kids 9-12 can participate with active parental oversight.
- Roblox is not a “set it and forget it” platform. It requires more active parental involvement than most entertainment apps – not less.
“Mom, can I play Roblox? Everyone at school has it!”
If you’ve heard this lately, you’re far from alone. With over 151.5 million people logging in daily – up from 70 million just two years ago – Roblox has become the virtual playground of a generation. Your child probably isn’t exaggerating when they say “everyone” plays it.
But here’s what you need to know: a lot has changed since you last checked.
Between late 2024 and early 2026, Roblox faced its most significant safety crisis. In response, the company introduced sweeping new protections and remains under intense legal and regulatory scrutiny.
So, have the new changes made Roblox safe for kids? That depends on a few factors. Whether you’re considering Roblox for the first time or revisiting your family’s rules, you deserve the full picture.
What Is Roblox?
If you are aware of Roblox, you’ve likely seen some of the gameplay and look. Roblox is full of colorful, blocky characters that look a bit like LEGO figures running around virtual worlds.
But Roblox isn’t quite like other video games—and understanding that difference matters for safety.
Roblox is a Platform, Not a Single Game
Think of Roblox as a massive digital playground containing millions of different games and experiences, all created by users themselves.
One minute, your child might be running a virtual pizza shop in “Work at a Pizza Place,” and the next, they’re solving mysteries in “Murder Mystery 2” or adopting virtual pets in “Adopt Me!”
This variety is exactly what makes Roblox so captivating and hooks users so quickly. There’s always something new to explore.
It’s Social by Design
Unlike single-player games, Roblox’s entire gameplay ecosystem is built around interaction.
Users can create customizable avatars, chat with other players, add friends, join groups based on shared interests, and collaborate (or compete) in real-time.
For many kids, it’s become a primary way to hang out with school friends outside of school hours.
It’s Accessible Everywhere
Roblox runs on phones, tablets, computers, and gaming consoles, and many of these devices are already owned by your child.
The core platform is free to join, which removes barriers to entry. This accessibility is part of what’s driven explosive growth, but it also means kids can potentially access it from multiple devices, making monitoring more challenging.
It Has Its Own Economy
The platform uses a virtual currency called “Robux” that players can purchase with real money.
Robux lets kids buy special avatar items, access premium game features, or trade with other players. If you’ve heard “But I NEED more Robux!” you’re familiar with the financial pressure this can create.
Who’s Playing Roblox?
While Roblox appeals to a wide age range, the platform skews young.
About 21% of users are under age 9, another 21% are between 9 and 12, and 16% are young teens aged 13-16. The remaining users are older teens and adults – including game developers, content creators, and yes, individuals with less wholesome intentions.
Here’s the important distinction: despite its cartoon-like appearance, Roblox wasn’t specifically designed as a children’s platform.
It’s more accurately described as a “social gaming platform” that happens to be enormously popular with kids. This matters when we think about safety.
What’s Changed on Roblox in 2025-2026
If you researched Roblox safety even a year ago, much of what you learned is now outdated. Here’s what’s happened:
Facial Age Verification Is Now Required
As of January 7, 2026, Roblox became the first major gaming platform to require facial age verification for all users who want to chat.
The system scans users’ faces to estimate their age, then places them into one of six age tiers. Users can only communicate with others in similar age groups. For children under 9, chat is completely disabled unless a verified parent explicitly enables it.
It’s a significant step forward, though early reports suggest accuracy issues with some kids being misidentified as adults and vice versa.
Legal Pressure Has Intensified
There’s a reason that sweeping changes have been made. There have been more than 35 lawsuits filed by families alleging their children encountered predators on the platform.
State attorneys general in Louisiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and South Carolina have launched investigations. Law firms report representing over 500 clients with abuse-related claims.
Over 13,000 child exploitation incidents were reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in 2023. Thats’ up from only 3,000 the year before. Since 2018, at least 24 people have been arrested for abducting or abusing children they met through Roblox.
Roblox Has Responded – Substantially
To their credit, Roblox has launched over 145 safety initiatives in the past year.
The company has added thousands of safety personnel, implemented new communication restrictions for users under 13, and rolled out a facial verification system. CEO David Baszucki has called safety the platform’s “top priority.”
The question isn’t whether Roblox is taking this seriously – they clearly are. The question is whether their measures are enough for your family, and if they are enough for your kids to play Roblox safely.
Roblox Safety Concerns Parents Should Be Aware Of
Let’s be direct about what the risks actually are, so you can make an informed decision.
Online Predators and Grooming
This is the most serious concern, and it’s well-documented.
A Bloomberg investigation revealed that Roblox had no automated grooming detection until 2022, and the word “grooming” wasn’t even in their moderation guidelines.
The pattern investigators have identified is troubling: predators often use Roblox to make initial contact with children, then attempt to move conversations to less-monitored platforms like Discord or Snapchat.
This is why platform-specific controls, while important, aren’t the complete solution.
Content Moderation at Scale
Roblox hosts millions of user-created games, and keeping up with moderation is genuinely difficult.
While the platform reviews uploaded content, inappropriate material (including games with adult themes) can slip through and remain active until reported.
Custom modifications (“mods”) present additional risks, particularly for younger players who may stumble into experiences not meant for them.
Financial Predation on Kids
Roblox’s virtual currency, Robux, powers an economy specifically designed to encourage spending. There’s significant pressure on the platform to convert free players into paying customers.
Children can face social pressure when friends have items they can’t afford, and the line between “wants” and “needs” becomes blurry.
Account Security and Workarounds
Even with robust parental controls, children can create alternate accounts. Age verification helps, but determined kids have been known to use photos of older siblings or parents.
No system is foolproof, which is why technology alone isn’t the answer – ongoing conversation matters just as much.
Roblox’s New Safety Features
Age-Based Chat Restrictions
The new system automatically limits who your child can communicate with based on verified age. Under-9 users have chat disabled by default.
Users 9-12 can only chat within games (not direct messages) unless a parent approves otherwise. Teens 13+ get age-appropriate chat with users in similar age brackets.
Parental Dashboard
After verifying your identity with a government ID or credit card, you can access controls that let you view your child’s friends list, set daily playtime limits, restrict which games they can access based on content ratings, and monitor their activity.
Communication Controls
You can configure who can message your child (friends only, no one, or everyone), disable direct messages entirely, and set chat filters to their strictest settings.
An Important Note on Roblox Parental Controls
Here’s an important note for parents: these controls only work within Roblox.
If someone convinces your child to move to another app, Roblox’s protections no longer apply. This is where device-level parental controls become essential – they provide consistent oversight across every app your child uses, not just one.
Is Your Child Ready for Roblox? Age-Based Guidance
Every child is different, but age provides a useful starting framework. Here’s how to think about readiness:
Under 9: Exercise Extreme Caution – or Consider Waiting
Roblox’s own data shows that about 21% of users are under 9, but this age group faces the highest risk with the least ability to recognize danger.
If you do allow access, keep settings at their most restrictive. That means minimal content only, all chat disabled, and spending blocked entirely.
Most importantly, always stay in the room. If possible, play together. This isn’t an app for unsupervised use at this age.
Ages 9-12: Workable With Active Involvement
This is Roblox’s sweet spot demographically, and many families find it manageable with proper guardrails.
You should enable only “mild” content, require your consent for any chat features, set firm spending limits, and commit to daily check-ins and weekly reviews of their chat history and friends list.
Ages 13-16: Oversight Still Matters
Teens can handle more independence, but parental involvement shouldn’t disappear. Allow moderate content with age-based chat restrictions, maintain spending limits, and keep weekly conversations about their online experiences going.
Red flags to watch: secretive behavior, new friends who seem significantly older, withdrawal from family or real-world activities.
Roblox CEO David Baszucki offered parents this direct advice: “If you’re worried, don’t let them on.” It’s surprisingly candid and worth taking seriously. Trust your instincts.
Practical Steps to Protect Your Child
If you decide Roblox is right for your family, here’s how to set things up for success:
Configure Parental Controls Properly
Start by verifying your identity in Roblox’s parental settings to unlock the full dashboard.
Set age restrictions appropriate for your child, configure communication settings conservatively (you can always loosen them later), enable PIN requirements for any purchases, and set spending limits or disable transactions entirely.
Layer Your Protection
Remember: Roblox controls only govern Roblox. Predators specifically try to move children to other platforms where monitoring is lighter. Device-level parental control tools give you consistent visibility across all the apps your child uses – not just one.
Have the Conversation (and Keep Having It)
Technology is only part of the solution.
Talk with your child about what they should tell you: friend requests from people they don’t know in real life, conversations that feel uncomfortable or secretive, anyone asking for personal information or photos, and requests to chat somewhere other than Roblox.
Make this collaborative, not punitive. The goal is for your child to come to you when something feels wrong without fearing they’ll lose access entirely.
Know the Warning Signs
Stay alert for requests to move conversations to other apps, sudden secrecy around gaming, new “friends” who seem older or whom they’ve never met in person, requests for personal photos or location information, or unusual interest in earning or spending Robux.
Here’s What Roblox Gets Right
We’ve spent considerable time on safety concerns – and rightly so.
But the reality is that millions of children enjoy Roblox safely every day, and the platform does offer genuine value when used with appropriate supervision.
Creative Expression and Building Skills
Roblox isn’t just about consuming content. It’s a platform where creativity thrives.
Children start by designing and customizing their avatars, often progressing to building their own games using Roblox Studio. This kind of open-ended creative play helps develop imagination, problem-solving skills, and a sense of ownership over digital spaces.
Social Connection With Real Friends
For many kids, Roblox has become a virtual hangout space where they connect with school friends outside of school hours. They collaborate on building projects, compete in obstacle courses together, or simply explore new games as a group.
When in-person socializing isn’t possible, these shared virtual experiences can help children maintain friendships and feel connected.
Introduction to STEM Concepts
For tech-curious kids, Roblox can spark genuine interest in valuable skills. The platform’s game creation tools introduce basic programming concepts, logic, and design thinking.
Children learn how games work “under the hood” and begin to understand cause-and-effect relationships in code. Many young Roblox creators have gone on to pursue deeper interests in computer science, game development, and digital design.
Reading, Math, and Problem-Solving
Learning happens almost invisibly through gameplay. Kids develop reading comprehension by following game instructions and chat conversations. They practice basic math by managing in-game economies, calculating trades, and budgeting virtual currency.
Family Gaming Opportunities
Some of the best Roblox moments happen when families play together. Whether it’s parents and kids collaborating on a building project, siblings competing in an obstacle course, or the whole family exploring a new game together, these shared experiences create natural opportunities for conversation.
A Gateway to Healthy Digital Habits
When managed well, Roblox can actually help children develop positive relationships with technology.
Learning to balance gaming with other activities, respecting time limits, making thoughtful spending decisions, and navigating social interactions online are all skills that transfer to broader digital life.
The key phrase here is “with proper supervision and controls.” These benefits are real, but they’re not automatic.
Roblox can absolutely be part of a healthy digital diet, but it isn’t a platform you set up once and walk away from.
Is Your Child Ready for Roblox?
You’re asking exactly the right questions by researching this. That instinct to understand before allowing access? That’s good parenting.
Here’s the key takeaway: Even in 2026, Roblox requires more active parental involvement than many entertainment platforms – not less.
The safety concerns are real and documented. But so are the platform’s recent improvements and the genuine benefits children can experience.
Whether Roblox is right for your family depends on your child’s age and maturity, your capacity to stay involved and monitor their activity, your comfort level with the documented risks, and your willingness to have ongoing conversations about online safety.
Keep Your Family Safe Online with Kidslox
At Kidslox, we’re at the forefront of helping families navigate the digital world with confidence. From screen time management to cross-platform monitoring, we give parents the tools they need to protect their kids (without becoming tech experts themselves!).
Because Roblox is just one app in your child’s digital life. Keeping them safe means having visibility across all of it. Kidslox has the guides, resources, and parental control tools your family needs to stay safe online.
Want to learn more? Explore Kidslox parental controls online, and find more great content in our ever-growing library of safety guides.
