Is Roblox Safe for Children?
Roblox poses some risks to children. The majority of the platform is safe for children. Roblox has Community Standards that all users agree to follow. They also have AI and human moderators to try to police harmful and inappropriate content and behavior. There is also a variety of safety features parents can use to help keep their kids safe. However, the fact that Roblox is an open platform that has children as a large share of its user base means that it can be a target of users that have less-than-honorable intentions. Some inappropriate content and behavior can fall through the cracks. While Roblox has no specific age recommendation, most experts suggest not allowing kids under the age of 13 to play the game.
What Is Roblox?
Roblox is an online gaming platform. It allows players to create, share, and play games and worlds created by other users. In addition to online games, Roblox features a chat that allows players to communicate with each other. Roblox is part gaming platform, part chatroom and social media platform, and part creativity platform. Robux: While Roblox is free-to-play, it does feature an in-game currency called Robux that can be purchased with real money. This allows players to purchase in-game items, as well as items to customize their avatars, which is an online digital representation that each player designs for themselves.
Roblox Risks
Inappropriate content. Roblox relies on user-generated content. This means users can create games that contain inappropriate content, such as violence or even sexual content. Roblox has content moderation policies to restrict such content, but some users may try to find ways to sneak inappropriate content past the moderators.
Online predators. Roblox has a chat feature that allows users to communicate with each other. Online predators could use these chats to communicate with children. While Roblox has moderators to monitor the public chats, they do not monitor private chats.
Cyberbullying. As with any online platform that allows users to create an anonymous account and communicate with each other, this makes it easy for players to target other players for abuse. Cyberbullying can lead to emotional distress and they could become withdrawn. Around 70% of students in the US report that they have witness frequent online bullying.
Scams and Fraud. Roblox features an in-game currency called Robux. Since Robux can be bought with real money, many scammers will target children with schemes to take their Robux.
Hacking. Hackers may try to target children to steal their login credentials and take over their accounts. If there are any Robux tied to the account, this could be a financial loss. Additionally, if the child uses the same password for multiple accounts, the hacker may gain access to other accounts as well.
Viruses and malware. While Roblox itself is safe to download and install, there are many shady programs out there that claim to give you free Robux or claim to be a mod or add-on to Roblox. These programs may contain viruses or malware that can damage your computer system or steal your private data.
Gaming addiction. As with many other games, some kids may become addicted to Roblox and spend an inordinate amount of time playing the game, which may have a negative effect on their real lives.
What Can Parents Do?
Sign up for Roblox with the correct age. If your kids want to play Roblox, sign up for an account for them and make sure you enter their correct age. Certain safety features are enabled automatically for children under 13. Roblox now requires age verification for children over the age of 13.
Disable the chat. In order to prevent strangers and online predators from attempting to contact your child, you can disable the chat. This should be disabled automatically for children under the age of 13. If they are over the age of 13, you can use the following steps to disable the chat: Log into your child's account. Click the gear icon in the upper-right corner. Click Settings. Click the Privacy tab to the left. Select "No One" or "Friends" under "Who can message me." Select "No One" or under "Who can text chat with me in-app." Select "No One" or under "Who can text chat with me." Click the toggle switch next to "Use microphone to chat with voice."
Enable age restrictions. Parents can enable age restrictions on their kid's account. This will only allow kids to play games and experiences labeled as safe for all ages. Use the following steps to enable age restrictions: Log into your child's account. Click the gear icon in the upper-right corner. Click Settings. Click the Parental Controls tab to the left. Click the toggle switch next to your child's age restrictions (i.e, All ages, 9+, 13+, 17+).
Set up a parental PIN. Adding a PIN to your child's account will prevent them from making changes to their account without your approval. The parental PIN will need to be entered in order for them to make changes to their account. Use the following steps to add a PIN to your child's account: Log into your child's account. Click the gear icon in the upper-right corner. Click Settings. Click the Parental Controls tab to the left. Click the toggle switch below "Parent PIN". Click Add Email and follow the instructions to verify your email address (if not already added). Enter a PIN. Enter your PIN again to confirm it.
Talk to your kids about online safety. Make sure they understand that they are not supposed to talk to strangers online, and under no circumstances are they to meet someone they met online in person. Make sure they understand that they should never give out their login information or any other personal information, not even to close friends.
Play the game with your kids. This will give you an idea of how they are using the platform as well as give you an opportunity to familiarize yourself with the platform and the safety features.
Make sure your kids know how to report and block users. Get to know the user interface with your kids. Make sure your kids know how to block and report users who are harassing and bullying them or trying to solicit them. Let them know that it's safe to tell you if they encounter such behavior.
Monitor your kid's activity. Make sure they are playing the game in an open area where you can keep an eye on them. Don't let them play behind closed doors. Log in to their account frequently to see what they are up to. You can monitor their chats, and view their messages, as well as see what games they have been playing.
Install antivirus software. Make sure your computer or child's mobile device has antivirus software installed. Let them know that they should not download or install any apps or mods without your permission. Let them know that the only way to get Robux is to purchase them in the game. Nobody gives away Robux for free and there are no apps or add-ons that give away free Robux.
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