Roblox Rolls Out Mandatory Age Verification Worldwide for Chat Access

Roblox has begun requiring all users worldwide to complete an age-verification process to access chat features, following increased legal scrutiny and investigations into child safety on the platform.

After piloting the system in select regions last month, the company is now expanding the requirement globally. Users who want to use chat must complete an age check, which currently relies primarily on facial verification.

To verify their age, users are prompted in the Roblox app to grant camera access and follow on-screen instructions to complete a facial scan. Roblox says any images or videos captured during the process are deleted once verification is complete. The company added that its third-party verification partner, Persona, also deletes all biometric data after processing.

Roblox states that users aged 13 and older may verify their age with government-issued identification instead of facial verification. While age verification is technically optional, it is required for anyone who wants to use the platform's communication tools. Users can continue to play Roblox without verification, but chat access is restricted unless the process is completed.

If a user believes the system has incorrectly estimated their age, Roblox allows them to appeal the decision. Alternative verification options include submitting identification or using parental controls, which would enable parents to confirm or update their child's age.

"Using multiple signals, Roblox continuously evaluates user behavior to determine whether someone may be significantly older or younger than expected," the company said in a blog post. "In those cases, Roblox will soon prompt users to repeat the age-check process."

Once verified, users are placed into age-based chat groups designed to limit communication across significant age gaps. Roblox has defined six categories: under 9, ages 9–12, 13–15, 16–17, 18–20, and 21 and older. Users can communicate with others in their own group and with those in adjacent age brackets. For example, a user aged 9–12 can chat with users under nine and those aged 13–15.

Chat features remain disabled by default for users under 9 years old unless a parent explicitly grants permission after completing an age check.

The global rollout follows a series of lawsuits and investigations targeting Roblox's handling of child safety. Attorneys general in Texas and Louisiana have filed lawsuits alleging the platform exposed children to risks, including grooming and explicit content. The legal actions followed multiple reports highlighting safety concerns involving young users.

Roblox has said the new age-verification system provides a more reliable method of verifying users' ages than the previous approach, which relied primarily on self-reported birthdates at account creation.