Roblox pivots to biometric age verification to tighten user safety

The company’s shift follows an April announcement to segment players into specific age brackets. Users under nine are now relegated to Kids accounts, while those under 16 fall into Roblox Select, both of which impose strict limitations on chat functions and game access. To bypass the automated facial scans, users can alternatively submit government identification or have a parent manually configure their account settings.

While the implementation of these measures coincided with a temporary dip in daily active users earlier this year, Jacobs remains committed to the policy. She maintains that the platform is prioritizing long-term safety and civility over immediate user satisfaction, acknowledging that the stricter environment may frustrate some members of the community. During recent testing, the facial recognition system proved robust enough to identify underage users even when they attempted to disguise themselves with props like fake mustaches.