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Roblox, the popular gaming platform, is enhancing its age verification system and implementing age-based chats to improve user safety.
The platform's new age estimation tool, provided by a company called Persona, requires users to take a video selfie to estimate their age. According to Roblox, these videos are deleted after processing, and users only need to submit a face scan if they wish to chat with others. The company has clarified that children under 13 cannot chat with others outside of games without parental consent.
Matt Kaufman, Roblox's chief safety officer, stated that the system can accurately estimate ages between five and 25 within one or two years. For those outside the typical range, users can provide an ID or use parental consent to correct the estimate. After verification, users are grouped into age categories: under nine, nine to 12, 13 to 15, 16 to 17, 18 to 20, and over 21. They can then chat within their age group or with similar age groups.
Roblox will begin enforcing these age checks in Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands in early December, with global implementation set for early January. The move aligns with a broader trend among tech companies, such as Google and Instagram, which are also enhancing age verification systems to comply with regulations and address child safety concerns.