Roblox expands age estimation and adopts global ratings

Roblox expands age-estimation and adopts global ratings

Roblox announced a major safety push this week: its selfie-based age estimation system will be rolled out to all users who access chat features by year’s end, and the platform will replace its own maturity labels with ratings from the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC).

The age estimation technology scans user selfies and analyzes facial features to estimate age. Roblox says it will combine these estimates with ID verification and verified parental consent to create a stronger assurance of a user’s age than relying on a typed birthdate.

On the content side, partnering with IARC means users will see region-appropriate ratings: ESRB in the U.S., PEGI across much of Europe, GRAC in Korea, USK in Germany, and other local systems elsewhere. Those ratings highlight content factors parents care about — violence, gore, substances, gambling mechanics, and strong language.

Roblox has already limited features for younger users: under-13s lose unfiltered voice and text chat, and teens can only add trusted connections if verified by real-life contact imports or QR codes. The new systems will further restrict communications between adults and minors, the company says.

These moves arrive amid lawsuits alleging predators used Roblox to target children and reporting that inappropriate content and bad actors remain accessible. High-profile incidents — like an in-game marketplace pushing kids to spend real money — have intensified scrutiny from parents and regulators.

Regulatory pressure is rising too. Laws like the U.K.’s Online Safety Act and U.S. state age-assurance statutes are forcing platforms to prove who is on their services. Some platforms have already restricted or left certain jurisdictions rather than comply.

What these changes do and don’t solve: clearer ratings give parents context about game content, and stronger age checks reduce casual misrepresentation. But automated age estimation and ratings won’t eliminate bad actors or all inappropriate experiences — moderation, developer controls, and transparent appeals remain essential.

• Combine multiple signals: selfies, ID checks, parental consent, and behavioral signals improve age confidence.
• Adopt local ratings: map global rating standards so parents see familiar labels and risk indicators.
• Maintain privacy: use privacy-preserving ML and clear retention policies for biometric data.

For platform operators and policymakers, the path forward is layered. Technical assurances like age estimation must be paired with human moderation, developer guidelines, and transparent reporting so parents and regulators can measure progress.

QuarkyByte perspectives: we recommend treating age assurance as a measurable control — track reduction in unverified chats, audit false positives/negatives, and simulate how ratings affect purchase and play flows. That evidence base helps balance safety, user experience, and compliance across regions.

Roblox’s update is a meaningful step, but it’s not a finish line. Expect more iterations — and more scrutiny — as platforms wrestle with protecting children while keeping social features usable. The metrics and architectures companies choose now will shape both safety outcomes and regulatory success.