Fresh security update from gaming giant Roblox, a major safety enhancement drops, making mandatory age checks new security gate for chat access.
Yesterday, November 18, 2025, Roblox announced a major security update requiring mandatory age checks for end users to access chat features. This move, aimed at limiting online communication between adults and children, uses AI-powered facial estimation or government ID verification to place users in specific age-based chat groups.
Key Security Measures
- Mandatory Age Verification for Chat: Users who want to use private messaging or general chat must verify their age. While this check is optional for basic platform use, access to communication features requires completion.
- Facial Age Estimation Technology: Verification can be completed in Roblox app using a quick video selfie. This image or video is processed by a third-party vendor (Persona) to estimate a user’s age and is then deleted; Roblox states it does not store this data. Users can also verify with a government ID.
- Age-Based Communication Groups: Verified users are placed in brackets such as under 9, 9–12, 13–15, 16–17, 18–20, and 21+, users can only chat with others in similar age groups.
- Default Settings for Minors: For users under nine, chat features in experiences will be turned off by default unless a parent provides consent after verification.
- Trusted Connections Exception: Users can designate “trusted connections,” such as siblings in different age brackets, allowing them to bypass age-based chat restrictions.
- Enforcement Timeline: These rules roll will out first in Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands starting December 2025, with a global rollout is planned for early January 2026.
These changes follow growing scrutiny and multiple lawsuits over child safety concerns. Roblox has also updated its online safety center to offer more resources for parents on setting up parental controls.
