Roblox mandates facial verification for global chat access

Roblox has implemented mandatory facial verification for all users globally who want to access chats. The company is rolling out the requirement globally after a testing period last month. To complete the age-check process, users must open the Roblox app, allow access to their camera, and follow a series of on-screen instructions for facial verification. Once the age check is processed, Roblox says it deletes any images or videos of users. The verification is processed by Persona, a third-party vendor processing facial verification, which Roblox says also deletes images and videos after completing the process. Users who are 13 and older can choose ID verification instead of facial verification.

The rollout of these mandatory age checks occurs amid multiple lawsuits and investigations over child safety. These legal actions include lawsuits filed by the attorneys general—the top legal officers of US states—of Texas and Louisiana. The lawsuits against Roblox were filed following reports that the platform was exposing young users to dangerous risks, such as grooming and explicit content.

While the age checks are optional to use the platform itself, they are required if users want to access communication features. Once verified, users can access age-based chat, which restricts communication to similar age groups. Roblox is implementing six age-based chat groups:

• Under 9
• 9 to 12
• 13 to 15
• 16 to 17
• 18 to 20
• 21 plus

Users in each age group can only chat with people in the groups directly above and below theirs. For children under 9, chat is disabled by default unless a parent provides consent.

To maintain these boundaries, the platform is actively monitoring user behavior. “Leveraging multiple signals, Roblox is constantly evaluating user behavior to determine if someone is significantly older or younger than expected,” the company stated. In these situations, Roblox says it will soon ask users to repeat the age-check process.

Why it matters

The introduction of mandatory age checks comes amid multiple lawsuits and investigations over child safety, including from the attorneys general of Texas and Louisiana, against Roblox over concerns of exposing young users to dangerous risks, such as grooming and explicit content.