Roblox Makes Age Verification Mandatory for Chat Access in January
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Published: 11/18/2025
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Updated: 11/18/2025, 8:20:32 PM
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12 updates
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9 min read
📱 This article updates automatically every 10 minutes with breaking developments
Roblox will make **age verification mandatory for all users wishing to access chat features starting January 2026** worldwide, following an initial rollout in December 2025 in Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands. This move aims to create a safer, age-appropriate environment on the platform by limiting chat access based on verified age groups and responding to increasing legal and parental concerns about child safety online[1][2][3][4][5][7].
The new system requires users to verify their age either by...
The new system requires users to verify their age either by submitting a government ID (for those 13 and older) or by completing an AI-powered facial age estimation. This involves taking a video selfie that prompts the user to move their face in specified directions to ensure the image is live and not a static photo. The software, developed by Persona, estimates the user’s age and then deletes the images after processing. Users are placed into one of six age brackets: under 9, 9-12, 13-15, 16-17, 18-20, and 21 plus. Chat access is then restricted to allow communication only within or near these age groups. For example, a 12-year-old can chat only with users 15 or younger, while adults can only chat with other adults or ‘Trusted Connections’[1][2][4].
For children under 13, chat outside of game matches is block...
For children under 13, chat outside of game matches is blocked unless parental consent is granted, and for users under 9, chat is turned off by default unless parents approve it. Roblox emphasizes that chats are not encrypted to enable message monitoring for safety[1][3].
This mandatory age verification system is part of Roblox’s r...
This mandatory age verification system is part of Roblox’s response to **dozens of lawsuits and regulatory scrutiny** over the platform’s role in child exploitation risks. Critics have expressed concerns over privacy and the reliability of AI age estimation, especially at the extremes of age ranges, as well as the potential friction caused by requiring users to submit personal biometric data just to access chat features. Some users fear this could negatively impact the social experience and deter younger players from fully engaging on the platform[2][4][6].
Roblox’s Chief Safety Officer Matt Kaufman framed the change...
Roblox’s Chief Safety Officer Matt Kaufman framed the change as a step toward industry-wide standards for child safety, highlighting the importance of proactive tools like age estimation to build a safer digital world for kids and teens[3].
In summary, from January 2026, **all Roblox users worldwide...
In summary, from January 2026, **all Roblox users worldwide must complete an age verification process to access chat**, marking a significant shift in how the platform manages user interactions to protect children and comply with growing legal requirements[1][2][3][4][5].
🔄 Updated: 11/18/2025, 6:30:18 PM
Roblox’s mandatory age verification for chat access starting January 2026 has sparked mixed expert and industry opinions. While Roblox claims this move sets a "new industry standard" for child safety by using AI-powered facial age estimation and ID verification to separate users into six age brackets, some experts highlight concerns about the technology’s accuracy, especially at age extremes, and risks of privacy breaches exposing sensitive data to fraud and exploitation[1][3][4]. Industry critics also warn that restricting chat within Roblox might push children to less regulated platforms, potentially increasing their exposure to harmful content[4].
🔄 Updated: 11/18/2025, 6:40:11 PM
**Roblox Makes Age Verification Mandatory for Chat Access in January**
The gaming platform's mandatory age-check rollout has sparked significant backlash from its developer and user community, with forum participants expressing concerns that the requirement will "kill off any social sense on the platform" and warning it could drive new players away who won't send facial images to verify their age.[4][6] Critics argue the implementation is flawed, questioning how the system will prevent bad actors from deliberately misrepresenting their ages and noting that storing facial data—even temporarily—poses privacy risks to minors, with one commenter sarcastically remarking, "What a great move from Roblox by training their AI with their
🔄 Updated: 11/18/2025, 6:50:18 PM
Roblox’s mandatory age verification for chat access, set globally for early 2026 after initial rollouts in Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands, comes amid increasing regulatory scrutiny and lawsuits accusing the platform of endangering children by enabling adult-minor interactions. Lawmakers, such as New York State Senator Andrew Gounardes, have supported stricter online child safety laws, like the New York Children's Online Safety Act, which aligns with Roblox’s efforts to prevent contact between minors and adults without real-world connections. Roblox’s VP Rajiv Bhatia stated the changes aim to "help ensure users socialize with others in age-appropriate groups" while limiting unsafe interactions, reflecting a response to governmental and legal pressures to enhance platform safet
🔄 Updated: 11/18/2025, 7:00:12 PM
Starting January 2026, Roblox will mandate **age verification via facial age checks or ID verification** for all users wishing to access chat features globally, following initial enforcement in Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands in December 2025[1][2][4][5][9]. This system, powered by the company Persona, estimates a user’s age through a video selfie which is deleted after processing, grouping users into age ranges from under 9 to over 21 to enforce age-appropriate chat environments[1][2][3]. Matt Kaufman, Roblox’s Chief Safety Officer, emphasized the move aims to enhance user safety by preventing conversations between minors and adults, stating: “By requiring facial age checks to access chat features
🔄 Updated: 11/18/2025, 7:10:20 PM
Starting January 2026, Roblox will mandate all users worldwide to complete an age verification process to access chat features, marking a major step in online safety for its 150 million users. The system uses AI-powered facial age estimation or government ID verification, with videos deleted after use, and places users into age-based chat groups to prevent minors from chatting with adults. This rollout begins in December in Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands before expanding globally, following multiple lawsuits and parental concerns about child safety on the platform[1][2][4][7][9].
Matt Kaufman, Roblox’s Chief Safety Officer, said, “By requiring facial age checks to access chat features, we’re helping create an age-appropriate environment for every use
🔄 Updated: 11/18/2025, 7:20:26 PM
Roblox’s announcement that age verification will be mandatory for chat access starting January 2026 has sparked strong backlash from users, with thousands voicing concerns on forums like the Roblox DevForum over privacy and platform experience. One user wrote, “What kid in his right mind would send a picture of themselves when finding out about this platform?” while another warned, “This update changes nothing for me as I already verified my age, but it’s too sad future players won’t be able to experience the greatness this platform had.” Community sentiment remains sharply divided, with critics arguing the move could drive younger users away and harm Roblox’s reputation.
🔄 Updated: 11/18/2025, 7:30:29 PM
Roblox’s mandatory age verification for chat access starting January represents a significant shift in the competitive landscape, positioning it as the first online gaming platform to enforce such strict age-based communication controls[2][3]. With over 150 million users, including 40% under 13, Roblox's move to use AI-powered facial age checks and categorize users into detailed age groups sets a new industry safety standard, potentially pressuring competitors like Google and Instagram to enhance their own verification systems[1][2][5]. Matt Kaufman, Roblox’s Chief Safety Officer, emphasized this initiative as a way “to create an age-appropriate environment” and called on the broader industry to adopt similar practices[2].
🔄 Updated: 11/18/2025, 7:40:26 PM
Starting in January, Roblox will mandate all users globally to verify their age before accessing chat, using either a government ID upload or an AI-powered face scan that prompts users to move their face for real-time verification to prevent spoofing[2][1]. This AI system, developed by third-party provider Persona, estimates age with an option to correct misclassifications for users over 13 by submitting an ID; facial images are deleted after age assignment to address privacy concerns[2][4]. However, developers warn this could disrupt games reliant on chat, risk personal data exposure, and be vulnerable to bypasses and misuses, raising technical and security implications for both users and Roblox's platform ecosystem[3][4].
🔄 Updated: 11/18/2025, 7:50:30 PM
Roblox’s new mandatory age verification for chat access starting January has sparked mixed public reaction. Some users and parents appreciate the move as a stronger safeguard against minors interacting with adults, while many in the community criticize it as intrusive and ineffective, fearing privacy risks from uploading selfies or IDs and a loss of social interaction on the platform. One user on the Roblox developer forum called it a "horrible decision both gamewise and businesswise," warning it could "kill off any social sense on the platform," while others suspect it may drive away younger players unwilling to share personal data[2][3][4].
🔄 Updated: 11/18/2025, 8:01:10 PM
Roblox stock (RBLX) surged 3.9% to $133.48 on Wednesday following the company’s announcement that all users worldwide will be required to verify their age to access chat features starting in January, a move aimed at bolstering child safety. Analysts at Wedbush praised the rapid rollout of new safeguards, noting that while lawsuits and negative headlines could fuel volatility, Roblox’s proactive response has reinforced investor confidence in its growth trajectory.
🔄 Updated: 11/18/2025, 8:10:35 PM
Roblox is rolling out mandatory age verification for chat access globally starting January 2026, following regulatory pressure, particularly from Australian authorities such as eSafety, who have pushed for stronger child protection measures online. The company is implementing AI-powered facial age estimation combined with government ID verification and parental consent to better restrict communication between adults and minors, a move signaling compliance with evolving regulatory expectations on child safety in digital platforms[1][2][3]. Roblox’s head of safety, Matt Kaufman, noted that these systems aim to "limit communication between adults and minors unless they know each other in the real world," reflecting the platform’s response to legal and governmental concerns about safeguarding its predominantly under-13 user base[4][6].
🔄 Updated: 11/18/2025, 8:20:32 PM
Starting January, Roblox will require all users worldwide to verify their age through facial recognition or government ID to access chat features, aiming to create age-appropriate communication spaces and limit interactions between minors and adults[2][4][5]. This global rollout follows initial mandatory implementation in Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands in December, impacting over 150 million users, including the 40% under age 13, and has prompted international discussions on child safety in online gaming[2][6][4]. Roblox's Chief Safety Officer Matt Kaufman stated, “By requiring facial age checks to access chat features, we’re helping create an age-appropriate environment for every user,” signaling a push for industry-wide adoption of such standards[2].