What Parents Need to Know About Roblox
With over 160 million monthly users, Roblox is one of the most popular games for children. While it’s incredibly popular, figuring out what kids do while playing can still be hard. Roblox has received much media attention and social media warning, but how accurate are the stories?
What is Roblox
The Roblox world is not just one game. Users create and publish games that all take place in the Roblox world and are designed in the Roblox animation style. It is a free-to-play game and is available on most devices. In addition to thousands of free games, the platform offers easy-to-use creative tools that enable young gamers to create games. This ever-changing and expanding library of games is one of the biggest reasons why so many people play Roblox.
Is Roblox Safe for Kids?
Roblox is an interactive game that offers features such as chat boxes, so parents should be aware of the risks. The games being created by Roblox are filtered and checked for inappropriate images and profanity.
Online Predators
Kids might use the platform, but there are also adults on it, and predators may use it to harass and exploit children. Although rare, there have been reports of sexually-suggestive material in Roblox and characters being assaulted, causing parents to express concern about the game’s safety for kids.
Cyberbullying
There is potential for cyberbullying in Roblox. Teach children how to block players who are unkind and remind them to speak to an adult about online bullying. It’s also essential for children to know how to behave online and to treat others with respect.
Condo Games
One of the main risks in Roblox is “Condo Games.” Condo Games are user-generated games that make revolve around adult content. This is highly inappropriate for children, and a reason for parents must monitor what their children are accessing in the game.
In-Game Purchase
Roblox is a free game; however, children are encouraged to buy Robux using real money. Players use Robux to purchase equipment and outfits in the game.
Scammers
Because you can buy Robux with real money, children can encounter people running phishing scams to steal Robux. Talk to your children about avoiding players offering “free” robux, as they are likely scams.
Keep Your Kids Safe Playing Roblox
Roblox offers parental controls to protect younger players.
Chat Filters
Chats are filtered through AI and human filters to prevent inappropriate content from being displayed. The Automatic filters will flag questionable content to be reviewed by human moderators. While this is a thorough process, there is still a possibility that some things may slip past the filters.
Parent PIN
Secure access to your child’s Roblox account and settings by creating a Parent PIN. The Parent PIN prevents the child from making any changes to their settings.
Allowed Experiences
The Allowed Experiences setting allows parents to select age-appropriate content. This feature will limit your child’s access to games, apps, movies, and experiences.
Game History
Parents can easily review their child’s activities, such as games, friends, followers, and purchases.
Teach Online Safety
Please remind your children never to give out their personal information. The most effective way to protect your child online is to teach them about the dangers and how to handle questionable situations. Teach children how to report and block inappropriate behavior from other players.
