Roblox Announces Global Age-Estimation Rollout to Protect Younger Players from Predators

Roblox is introducing "mandatory" facial age-estimation as part of a major new effort to restrict communication between children and adult strangers on its platform.

The update will begin rolling out next month in Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands, before expanding globally in early January. With more than 150 million people logging in daily, this is one of the biggest safety overhauls Roblox has ever attempted.

Age Verification Becomes Mandatory on Roblox | Image via Gaming Amigos

Under the new system, users will be sorted into specific age brackets: under 9, 9–12, 13–15, 16–17, 18–20, and 21+. You’ll only be able to chat with people inside your age bracket or a neighboring one, which Roblox says is meant to prevent extreme age gaps from interacting in open text chat.

The company has also clarified that facial images used for age estimation are processed externally and deleted immediately; no storage, no long-term tracking.

According to multiple legal filings across the US, Roblox is under pressure to tighten safety. Several lawsuits claim the company failed to prevent adult offenders from impersonating children and coercing minors into sharing personal information or explicit content. As per reports by Texas authorities, one lawsuit even alleges Roblox “exposed children to harm,” while Florida’s Attorney General issued a criminal subpoena.

To address these issues, Roblox has already begun rolling out voluntary age checks, but these will now become mandatory as mentioned above. The age verification process is powered by facial estimation technology from Persona and is completed directly through the Roblox app. And yes, if you’re wondering, you won’t be able to access certain chat features, communities, or even social media links on profiles unless your age is verified.

The company believes this is a necessary step. “We see it as a way for our users to have more trust in who they are talking with,” said Matt Kaufman, Roblox’s chief safety officer. He added that accurate age estimation, within one to two years, will help build user confidence across the platform.

For younger players, especially under 13, features like private messaging will remain restricted unless a parent manually enables them.

Roblox is also introducing “Trusted Connections,” a feature designed for users ages 13 to 17 who want to add real-life friends or older acquaintances. This requires an existing relationship verified through QR code or contact importer. Users under 13 will not have access to this feature at all, and the platform still blocks sharing of personal information, images, and videos regardless of age.