Summarised by Centrist
Roblox is one of the most popular online games in the world, including in New Zealand, with over 380 million monthly users, many of them under 13.
Users build and play games inside a shared virtual universe, where players interact through custom avatars.
It has also become a hotspot for predators.
Facing lawsuits and growing public backlash, Roblox Corporation this week announced a series of new safety measures.
Chief safety officer Matt Kaufman said, “We’re clarifying our policy.” Games that take place in private or adult-themed locations, such as bedrooms, bathrooms, or bars, will be off-limits to anyone under 17 unless they verify their ID. There are also new AI tools to shut down inappropriate behaviour, he said.
Louisiana’s attorney general sued Roblox, calling it “a breeding ground for sex predators.” Roblox denies this but admits concerns have accelerated its rollout of new policies.
A 22-year-old YouTuber named Schlep, who was groomed as a child by a Roblox developer, made it his mission to expose predators on the platform and claims to have helped police arrest six of them.
“I get emails from kids daily about all the horrible stuff they’re exposed to,” Schlep said.
However, Roblox terminated all his accounts and sent him a cease and desist letter.
“Does Roblox understand that I was giving the information to police?” he asked. “Law enforcement thanked me. Roblox banned me.”
Read more over at The Vigilant Fox and GosuGames
