Roblox implements required age-restricted account levels in response to child safety legal actions.

      In summary: Roblox is set to launch three mandatory age-gated account tiers—Kids (ages 5-8), Select (ages 9-15), and Standard (ages 16+)—beginning in mid-May, which will separate content and chat access based on age groups. This decision comes in response to lawsuits from eight state attorneys general in the U.S. regarding child safety violations and builds upon the facial age verification system that was enacted in January. To have their content available to younger users, developers must now pay $5 per month and verify their identity. However, the reliability of this system is being questioned: age-verified accounts were listed on eBay for $4 shortly after the verification requirement was introduced, and Wired indicated that toddlers could potentially evade the facial scanning process.

      Roblox plans to divide its user base of over 85 million daily active users into three age-segregated categories: Kids (5-8), Select (9-15), and Standard (16+), starting mid-May. This represents the most significant overhaul since the introduction of facial age verification in January. The initiative follows lawsuits from at least eight state attorneys general regarding child safety issues, but the effectiveness of the age-check technology that supports the system remains highly debated.

      The three types of accounts correspond with the platform's current content maturity labels: Minimal, Mild, Moderate, and Restricted. Kids accounts will have the strictest controls, with chat disabled by default and limited to Minimal and Mild experiences. Select accounts, meant for those aged 9-15, will unlock Moderate content and allow chat with peers in a similar age range and parent-approved “trusted friends.” Once users reach 16, they will automatically transition to a full Roblox account, although Restricted content will remain inaccessible until they turn 18.

      Roblox expects to complete the global rollout by June. Users who do not complete an age check by that time will be redirected to a Kids-equivalent experience without chat access and only games rated Mild or lower, effectively making age verification compulsory for anyone wishing to fully utilize the platform.

      The age-gating of users introduces a challenge regarding content labeling at scale. With millions of user-generated experiences on Roblox, ensuring that each has the correct maturity rating is essential for the tiered system's operation. To address this, the company imposes three requirements on developers: identity verification, two-step authentication, and a subscription to Roblox Plus for $5 per month. According to Roblox, these obstacles are designed to reflect a “long-term commitment to the platform” and encourage accurate self-labeling.

      Where self-labeling falls short, AI moderation is intended to fill the gaps. Roblox claims it will monitor game occurrences in real-time, verifying that on-screen activity and chat behavior correspond with the designated maturity label. The company also mentions that users aged 16 and older “play new games first,” providing a buffer before younger users encounter newly available content. However, as noted by Engadget’s Jessica Conditt, this assertion is based on a broad generalization that cannot guarantee that a child won't face a misclassified experience before the AI catches it.

      The effectiveness of the tiered system hinges on users accurately reporting their ages. Starting January 2026, Roblox will require all users worldwide to undergo a facial age estimation scan—provided by third-party company Persona—to access chat features. This technology places users into one of six age brackets (under 9, 9-12, 13-15, 16-17, 18-20, 21+) and deletes biometric data immediately after processing. Persona's age estimation models achieved a mean absolute error of 1.4 years for users under 18, as validated by the UK’s Age Check Certification Scheme.

      However, a 1.4-year margin of error in a system with tightly defined age brackets poses concerns. Wired reported that toddlers could potentially bypass the checks, and shortly after the mandate took effect, age-verified Roblox accounts appeared for sale on eBay, with prices as low as $4, enabling anyone—including adults wanting access to children’s chat areas—to circumvent the system entirely. Social media has since been inundated with videos of users successfully bypassing the facial scan using celebrity images, virtual avatars, and drawn facial hair.

      Roblox’s Chief Safety Officer, Matt Kaufman, acknowledged the difficulties during a press briefing before today's announcement. He stated, “If we get it wrong, we offer users multiple ways to correct that,” adding that the platform will continuously monitor user behavior against age-check data and will prompt users to verify their age again if discrepancies arise.

      The backdrop to all this is legal rather than voluntary. Attorneys general from Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Kentucky, Iowa, Tennessee, Nebraska, and Arkansas have filed lawsuits against Roblox due to failures in ensuring child safety. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton described Roblox as a “digital playground that conceals predators.” Louisiana was the first state to file a direct consumer protection lawsuit against the platform.