Roblox Kids: Controversial gaming platform launches accounts for kids after grooming claims

Roblox will launch restricted accounts for kids and teenagers, two months after the government put the platform on notice over reports children were being groomed on it.

The popular social gaming site will introduce two accounts in June: Roblox Kids for those aged between five and eight, and Roblox Select for those aged between nine and 15.

The platform’s age check technology, which includes facial checks, will assign users to their designated account.

Roblox Kids users will only be able to access games with maturity ratings of “minimal” or “mild”, with the chat function turned off by default.

It will have an electric blue background to distinguish it from other accounts.

Roblox Select users will only able to access those with a “moderate” rating, with chat room functions to be gradually introduced with safeguards, allowing them to chat with family and friends or those that are a similar age.

“While no system is perfect, these age-adaptive accounts are designed to help remove the guesswork for parents and help align users’ experiences with their age,” Roblox chief safety officer Matt Kaufman said in a statement.

All games will undergo a review process before being seen by kids or teens, including the platform undertaking real-time evaluation of users aged 16 and over playing games first to see how they are played.

Parental controls are also being expanded on the site, allowing parents to block specific games and manage chats until their child turns 16.

Roblox will also start transitioning to the Australian Classification Board to assign content ratings for games later in 2026, in a bid to help families identify age-appropriate content.

Communications Minister Anika Wells met Roblox representatives in February after she expressed concern over graphic and gratuitous media reportedly affecting children on the site, including sexual and suicidal content.

“Even more disturbing are ongoing reports and concerns about children being approached and groomed by predators, who actively seek to exploit their curiosity and innocence,” she said in a letter to Roblox before the meeting.

Roblox is not explicitly included in the government’s social media ban for under-16s that began in December 2025, despite its popularity among Australian children.

But under the legislation, platforms can be fined up to $49.5 million by the eSafety Commissioner for non-compliance.

New codes focused on age-restricted material like pornography and self-harm also came into effect on March 9 and ill apply to Roblox.

There is also a requirement for gaming services to ban and take proportionate action against non-consensual sharing of intimate images, grooming and sexual extortion.

Young people seeking support can phone beyondblue on 1300 22 4636 or go to headspace.org.au.