What Is Roblox?

Roblox is an online gaming platform where people can create their own games and play games created by other users.  Users create an avatar and enter an immersive multiplayer world where they can explore and interact with other users.  Roblox is free, but it has an in-game currency called Robux.  By loading real money onto an account, users can use Robux money to buy accessories, clothes, and gear for your avatar as well as special abilities, bonus in-game content, and access to some user-created games.  Users can even trade in their Robux money for real money.  However, the platform earns most of the proceeds.  According to a November 2021 report from Statista, 67% of Roblox users are under 16 years old—with 25% of users under 9 years old.  According to an August 2022 report from Statista, the all-time most popular game on Roblox is pet simulator Adopt Me!, which had over 29.6 billion visits throughout the history of the platform.

Risks

Roblox’s open communication policy allows children to interact with people from around the world.

• Around the world, there are multiple reports revealing predators targeting children, sending them inappropriate content, and trying to contact them outside of the platform.
• Predators will ask for children’s phone numbers or contact information on another platform such as WhatsApp to continue private conversations.
• Children can be manipulated or bribed with the platform’s online currency or Robux. Check out DealNTeach’s 3 Ways to Give Robux to Friends on Roblox article to understand how Robux can be shared.

User-generated games or “condo games” feature adult content like simulated sex acts, graphic images, and inappropriate language can be found.

• These rooms can appear as strip clubs or pool parties. “Scented cons” has been labeled as a place for Roblox players to have sex in the game.
• Pornographic material has been seen alongside game creations for kids even though Roblox forbids this type of content.

Children have been exposed to information sharing or being coerced to share private and personal information with strangers on Roblox chats.

• “ODers” or “online daters” are people who use Roblox entirely as an online dating app, forming digital relationships.
• Many Roblox players screen-record their games and upload them to YouTube, including videos featuring sex and violence using code words such as shex instead of sex.

Recommendations

Parents can set their child’s age on the app so children under 13 have stricter chat filters such as blocking phone numbers being sent.  We recommend parents disable the chat functionality to help protect children from potential online predators and cyberbullying.  When creating an account, it can also be helpful for parents to talk with their children about the dangers of giving out personal or private information to anyone online.  Due to predators using fake names and profiles to gain access to youth, we strongly suggest that children do not chat with anyone they have never met in real life while on the platform.  If a child is going to play Roblox, we advise playing in a room where they can be seen and heard by a parent or guardian at any given moment.  Lifewire also has a helpful article How to Use Roblox Parental Controls where parents can learn more about how to manage their child’s account.

Want To Learn More?

For more information about Roblox, check out Common Sense Media’s Parents’ Ultimate Guide to Roblox.  For more information about specific games, check out FamiSafe’s list of Top Five Inappropriate Roblox Games for Kids that parents should be aware of when allowing their children to play on the platform.

CONTENT WARNING: Variety published a news story in July of 2018 discussing the disturbing graphic imagery a 7-year-old girl witnessed on a user-created game on Roblox. This article is a warning for parents to know that even with the strictest parental controls on a child’s device, some content can slip through the cracks and adults should stay vigilant when it comes to their children’s online life.

Sources

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1190869/roblox-games-users-global-distribution-age/

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1220905/roblox-most-visited-games/

https://www.familyzone.com/anz/families/blog/roblox-parents-review

https://www.bark.us/blog/is-roblox-safe-for-kids/

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/website-reviews/roblox

https://www.mysocialife.com/roblox-child-predators/

https://www.parents.com/kids/safety/internet/is-roblox-safe-for-kids

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mdUUufAI4M

https://www.familyzone.com/anz/families/blog/roblox-x-rated-content-shock

https://www.familyzone.com/anz/families/blog/orgy-room-on-roblox

https://www.bark.us/blog/roblox-slang/

https://www.dealntech.com/ways-give-robux-friends/

https://www.familyzone.com/anz/families/blog/is-roblox-really-dangerous-for-kids