This article introduces 'Child Safety' in Roblox. It covers the dangers of Roblox, the minimum age to play, how to set age restrictions, and tips for children to play safely.
Table of Contents
What is Roblox?
A Free-to-Play App
Roblox is a free-to-play app for PC and smartphones.It contains various games within Roblox, all of which can be played for free.
Basically No Danger
Roblox itself is not dangerous, and anyone can play it for free. However, since you can interact with many unspecified players in the game, you need to be careful about potential troubles between players.
Troubleshooting with Settings
Roblox has features in privacy settings and account settings that allow you to restrict interactions with other players and the games you can play. If you are concerned about online games, take measures against trouble through Roblox's settings.
No Age Restriction for Roblox Registration
There is no age restriction for Roblox, and accounts can be registered at any age. Games within Roblox that contain mature content are age-restricted, and you can only play games appropriate for the date of birth registered to your account.
Note: Not Playable on Switch
As of May 2024, Roblox cannot be played on the Switch. You will need a smartphone, PC, or PS4, so prepare one in advance.
What are the Dangers of Playing Roblox?
Interaction with Unspecified Users
Roblox has a "chat feature" that allows interaction with many unspecified players. You can communicate with many players at once in the game, or interact directly one-on-one. Be careful with your language and entering personal information, and communicate respectfully.
Be Careful Not to Enter Personal Information
Check if you have entered personal information in your account name or profile bio. Of course, use a nickname that is hard to identify instead of your real name, and do not enter or answer questions about information that could identify you, such as where you live.
Be Careful Not to Overspend
Roblox is free-to-play, but there are some in-game purchases. You will be charged when purchasing avatars or in-game helper items, so be careful not to overspend. It is recommended to set a spending limit or configure settings to prevent purchases altogether.
How Can Children Play Safely?
Set Spending Limits on Smartphones
Set restrictions directly on the smartphone used for playing Roblox to prevent in-app purchases. Open your smartphone's settings and select "Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > iTunes & App Store Purchases > In-app Purchases" to disable in-app purchases.
For PC, Do Not Register Payment Information
If playing Roblox on a PC, you need to register a payment method to make purchases. Either remove the payment method after making even one purchase, or if you don't intend to make purchases at all, do not register it.
Set Age Restrictions
Go to 'Parental Controls' in Roblox settings and change the age restriction from 'Allowed Experiences'. If you want to play all games, check '17+'.
For Young Children, Select 'All Ages'
Setting it to 'All Ages' will restrict play to games without mature content, so if you have young children, check 'All Ages'.
Restrict Communication
Configure communication settings from Roblox's 'More > Settings > Privacy'. You can decide who can send you messages and who you can receive chat from. If you want to completely block interactions with other players, set communication settings to 'Off'.
How to Change and Remove Age Restrictions
Go to Parental Controls
You can set or remove age restrictions from Parental Controls. From 'More' at the bottom of the home screen, go to 'Settings', and tap 'Parental Controls' in the settings menu.
Specify Age in Allowed Experiences
Scroll to the bottom of Parental Controls, and the 'Allowed Experiences' section will appear. If 'All Ages' is checked, you cannot play age-restricted games. If '17+' is checked, all games become playable.
A PIN May Be Required
If a parent's PIN is set in Parental Controls, you will be asked for the PIN when changing age restrictions. If you want to change the age restriction, consult your parents, or conversely, if you don't want your child to change the age restriction without permission, protect the settings with a PIN.
What Becomes Possible When Age Restrictions are Removed
Play Previously Restricted Games
By removing age restrictions, you can play games that were previously unavailable. Be aware that age-restricted games may contain mature scenes, such as violent content.
Voice Chat Becomes Available
Once age verification confirms you are 13 or older, voice chat becomes available. To complete age verification for voice chat, proceed with the age verification process from your account information. Of course, you can also restrict the use of voice chat in privacy settings.
Other Recommended Settings for Children
Enable Account Restrictions
Open Roblox settings and go to 'Settings > Privacy > Account Restrictions > Enable' to forcibly turn off communication settings. Enabling account restrictions prevents sending chats to other users, which can help prevent trouble in advance.
Set a PIN
Setting a PIN in Parental Controls will require the PIN to be entered when changing settings. This prevents children from changing settings on their own, allowing for safer Roblox play.
