Roblox’s age-verification system was designed as a response to allegations that it had a problem with child predators. In less than a week, how’s it going? Well, wired It was reported Tuesday that, in some cases, it is classifying children as adults and adults as children. So, not so great!
Last week, Roblox made age verification mandatory for anyone using the platform’s chat feature. That process involves either submitting a facial age estimate via selfie or (alternatively for anyone 13 or older) uploading a government ID check. Once verified, you can only chat with a group of players around your age.
The move comes after reports grew of predators using the platform to groom young children. In turn, lawsuits were filed in Louisiana, Texas, and Kentucky. Meanwhile, the Attorney General of Florida has issued criminal summons.
Therefore, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Roblox’s survival may depend on how it deals with this problem. It’s not a hot start at all. There are reports that a 23-year-old boy has been identified as a 16 to 17-year-old boy. (“I don’t want to interact with those kids,” he said.) Another report claimed an 18-year-old man was classed as 13 to 15.
But the problem is also happening in reverse. Online videos show children using avatar images to trick the system into believing they are adults. A smart kid got wrinkles and stubble on his face and was immediately assumed to be 21+. Another featured a photo of Kurt Cobain and received an adult classification.
Additionally, Roblox posted last week that some parents were verifying the age on behalf of their children, which resulted in their children being placed in the 21+ category. The company said it is “working on a solution” to that particular issue and will share more information soon.
Developers with games on Roblox are upset. The platform’s development forums include thousands of negative comments about the update, with many wanting the entire update to be reversed. One shared a graph showing that the percentage using the chat feature dropped from nearly 90 percent to 36.5 percent.
Where does this leave Roblox? Well, some developers have described the game on the platform as being “lifeless” or like a “completely haunted town”, which the company is all for. It has to figure out how to balance its priorities of keeping predators out without hurting things for everyone else. Full report from wired Worth reading.
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