Key Takeaways
1. Roblox has a large user base of millions of daily players, primarily under 16 years old, leading to concerns about child safety.
2. The new age verification tools introduced in 2025 have been criticized for being ineffective and easily evaded.
3. CEO Ron Kerbs from Kidas emphasizes that age verification technologies do not address all online safety risks for children.
4. Parents are increasingly concerned about dangers in multiplayer games, prompting platforms like Roblox to implement age verification systems.
5. Kerbs advocates for real-time behavioral monitoring as a key strategy for keeping children safe online, rather than solely focusing on age verification.
Roblox has a massive user base, with millions of daily players who are under 16 years old. This popularity has led to increased scrutiny regarding its child safety protocols. In particular, the platform’s new age verification tools, introduced in 2025, have been criticized for not being effective.
CEO’s Take on Safety Measures
Ron Kerbs, the CEO of Kidas, a company specializing in cybersecurity for young gamers, has raised concerns about these safety measures. In a chat with Insider Gaming, Kerbs remarked:
“Roblox’s recent effort in age verification is a positive move, but it doesn’t solve everything. Technologies like facial recognition and ID checks can help limit access to adult content, but they can be easily evaded and don’t tackle the serious safety risks that children encounter online every single day.”
Growing Concerns from Parents
Parents and concerned individuals have been increasingly vocal about the dangers facing children in multiplayer games that feature voice and text chat. These platforms have become breeding grounds for predators, prompting games like Roblox and GTA Online to adopt age verification systems due to rising global demands.
Launched in July 2025, Roblox’s age verification system is part of the “Trusted Connections” feature. This system employs facial age estimation, ID checks, and verified parental consent to better assess a user’s age compared to prior methods. The goal is to create a barrier between adults and minors, allowing teens aged 13 to 17 to use chat features while ensuring community standards are upheld.
Shortcomings of Current Systems
Despite these new efforts, Kerbs maintains that these measures are inadequate. He pointed out, “No verification method, whether AI-based or not, can ensure that the person on the other side of the screen is who they say they are.”
Kidas’ findings support this view, revealing that over 400,000 gamers have been protected, yet predators often evade verification systems with fake IDs or AI-generated images. This issue has been particularly evident on platforms like Discord, where UK age checks have been circumvented using characters from games like Garry’s Mod and Death Stranding.
In closing the interview, Kerbs stated:
“Roblox and similar platforms need to focus on real-time behavioral monitoring. Keeping children safe isn’t just about proving age; it’s about recognizing when conversations start going off the rails and intervening quickly.”
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