Roblox adds ESRB age ratings and AI age checks

Roblox adds ESRB and regional age ratings, rolls out AI age checks

Roblox is replacing its internal content maturity labels with formal age ratings through a new partnership with the International Age Rating Coalition. In the U.S., experiences will display ESRB ratings and players in other regions will see ratings from their local agencies, giving parents a familiar frame of reference before kids enter an experience.

Separately, Roblox says that by the end of the year every user who uses its communication features will have to undergo an age estimation process. The platform will combine facial age estimation technology, ID age verification, and verified parental consent to gate chat and other interactive features.

The changes come amid intense scrutiny over child safety on Roblox. Regulators and advocates have criticized the platform for gaps in moderation and exposure to inappropriate content, and a recent lawsuit from Louisiana accused Roblox of enabling an environment where predators can operate.

For creators, publishers, and platform teams this means new compliance and moderation workflows. Ratings integration will change how experiences are labeled and discovered. Mandatory age estimation for communicative features will also alter onboarding and require robust verification and privacy controls.

• Test age-estimation models for demographic bias and accuracy across age ranges
• Use multi-modal signals and step-up verification to reduce false positives and protect privacy
• Adopt privacy-by-design: minimize retained biometric data and keep verification logs auditable
• Provide transparent user notices, parental controls, and a clear appeals or human review path
• Map regulatory obligations across regions to align ratings, data residency, and consent models
• Measure operational impact on engagement and retention so safety improvements don't unduly block legitimate users

Facial age estimation and ID checks can strengthen safety, but they also introduce technical, legal, and ethical tradeoffs. Accuracy varies by population, biometric checks raise privacy questions, and integrating global ratings requires coordination with regional regulators and creators. Platforms must balance safety with fairness and user trust.

Organizations building or operating kid-focused platforms should approach these changes as a systems problem: evaluate model performance, design layered verification, document data flows, and create transparent parent and creator experiences. That combination reduces risk while keeping communities healthy and usable.

QuarkyByte's analysts use data-driven audits, bias testing, and privacy-first architecture reviews to help platforms implement age estimation and ratings at scale. We partner with teams to tune thresholds, design human-in-the-loop checks, and align flows with regulators so safety upgrades actually protect users without unnecessary disruption.