Roblox rolling out new safety features, expanding age verification

The online gaming platform Roblox is introducing new safety features after growing concerns from parents who say the platform puts children at risk.

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INDIANAPOLIS — The online gaming platform Roblox is introducing new safety features after growing concerns from parents who say the platform puts children at risk.

It’s been about a month since Brilynn York and her two sons, ages 9 and 12, decided they would stop using Roblox for safety reasons.

“Mental health is really important, too, so when I seen a few news reports of children harming themselves, having depression because of the bullying, seeing things they shouldn’t be seeing, having conversations they shouldn’t be having, we just had that talk with them,” York said.

York said she used parental controls and monitored who her sons were chatting with.

“No matter what parental controls I put on, I felt like there were loopholes all the time,” she said.

That led her to sit down with her children for an online safety conversation.

“Not all people have good intentions. Let’s focus on that and find in our heart what feels right. What’s your gut telling you, and shortly after, they’re like ‘I’m going to have to delete it,’” York said.

About 80 million people use Roblox daily.

The company has faced multiple lawsuits alleging it provides an unsafe environment, including a recent lawsuit filed by Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman alleging the platform has become a “hunting ground for child predators.”

Roblox says it is working to strengthen protections.

“We want parents to know a few things, safety is and has been a top priority,” said Dina Lamdany, a senior product manager with Roblox.