Parents.fr | Roblox launches «Roblox Kids» and «Roblox Select»: new measures to protect children, but persistent vulnerabilities

How do these new accounts work?

In practical terms, Roblox now distinguishes between two categories of accounts based on the user’s age. The account «Roblox Kids», intended for 5–8 years old, provides access to a limited catalogue of games that have been specifically approved for younger children: each title on offer undergoes verification by the developers and enhanced content checks. The chat function is disabled by default and can only be enabled by a parent with primary account access. 

The account «Roblox Select», on the other hand, is aimed at Ages 9–15. It slightly expands the available catalogue whilst maintaining a filtered chat system, which operates on the same principles of matching users by age group and approved friends. The transition between the two account types is automatic: a child switches from «Kids» to «Select» as soon as they turn 9, with no manual intervention required.

Finally, Any account whose age has not been verified is automatically directed to the most protective version, «Roblox Kids», a way for the platform to apply the precautionary principle when in doubt.

How is age verified when assigning these account redirects?

To determine which account a user should be directed to, Roblox has been using a facial recognition verification system. In practice, the user is asked to briefly film their face using their device’s camera; an algorithm then estimates their age based on this analysis, without any photos or videos being stored by the platform, according to Roblox. It is this estimate that automatically determines whether the account is classified as «Roblox Kids», «Roblox Select», or in a higher age group.

However, this AI-based assessment is not infallible, and may in some cases classify a child as an adult, or vice versa. It is precisely this sort of error that the e-Enfance / 3018 Association encountered. 

A dubious age verification!

Inès Legendre, Advocacy Manager at the e-Enfance / 3018 Association, describes a case reported to the 3018 helpline:

 « A mum had contacted us because her son had an account on Roblox. In her case, the age estimation system had failed and had mistakenly identified her son as an adult. The parental controls had been bypassed, and there was no way to reverse this or appeal against the decision. »

To minimise these errors, Roblox has introduced a double-check : if in doubt, a identity document may be requested from the user. Furthermore, parents can still manually correct their child’s age at any time via the account settings.

« After carrying out several tests, Their system does seem to be quite robust, though », admits Inès Legendre.

These are real steps forward, but we must not lose sight of the fact that shortcomings remain: the e-Enfance / 3018 Association will remain vigilant regarding the practical implementation of these measures and will continue to support families facing this kind of situation.

Read the full article: Estelle Hersaint – 16 June – Parents.fr