Arabic
Roblox is preparing to roll out one of its biggest changes related to user security as it officially announced that it will require all players around the world to undergo an AI-powered age estimation process before they are allowed to use the chat system within the platform and the measure begins to be gradually implemented in December before being rolled out globally at the beginning of January.
Roblox will use the AI-based Persona platform to estimate the age of users via an uploaded photo. The platform analyzes the photo and determines an age category, not an exact age, and then restricts chat options based on this category.
Roblox has recently faced a wave of criticism and lawsuits accusing it of not taking sufficient measures to protect children from exploitation. Multiple reports and international newspapers indicated that the platform has become a dangerous environment due to the presence of inappropriate content and attempts to exploit adults, and even went so far as to produce special investigations such as the documentary led by Chris Hansen.
Roblox says that this year alone it has implemented more than 145 new safety steps and that age rating is the next step to ensure that children are only communicating with age groups close to them.
Although the stated goal is to increase security, many parents and users have expressed concern about the idea of uploading photos of their children to an AI-powered platform.
Concerns relate to data privacy, image storage, AI abuse, and children being pressured to agree to the system so they can chat. Roblox emphasizes that the process is only age-estimated and that images are deleted after use, but skepticism remains.
