Roblox will roll out new youth-focused account options, Roblox Kids and Roblox Select, using age verification and parental checks to restrict access for under-16 users and limit inappropriate games and chat.

The rollout is planned to reach users worldwide by early June 2026, with a unified safety framework that combines age checks, account defaults, content ratings, moderation, and parental controls.

Later in the year, Roblox intends to transition to the International Age Rating Coalition framework, including ESRB and PEGI, to standardize content ratings.

Digital rights groups have warned about the potential inaccuracy and intrusiveness of facial age estimation and other age-assurance methods, stressing that no tool is foolproof.

The move occurs amid broader policy debates in Australia about a digital duty of care for tech platforms to curb online harms, with ongoing parliamentary discussions and pledges to advance the issue this year.

The safety push follows concerns about predators on Roblox; while age verification raises privacy and free-speech worries, outlets like Mashable call the changes overdue.

Experts worry about whether parents have sufficient time, knowledge, and support to navigate the new system, potentially limiting its effectiveness.

Roblox’s Chief Safety Officer emphasizes a long-term trust-building strategy, acknowledging age-estimation errors but arguing that safety benefits outweigh privacy risks.

Industry implications could set a benchmark for how platforms manage safety for younger users.

Regulatory pressure from Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has heightened scrutiny, with potential penalties for non-compliance and ongoing investigations.

Roblox faces ongoing state-level and federal legal challenges over child safety, with leadership addressing critics amid lawsuits and regulatory scrutiny.

Multiple U.S. state attorney generals have filed suits over child-safety failures, framing the new tiered system as a legal necessity rather than optional safety.