As with many websites and apps that interest children, there is always the question of online safety. You will find quite a few press reports questioning whether Roblox is safe for its young players. Some people claim that Roblox provides a platform for adults trying to groom children. You will find similar concerns expressed about TikTok and YouTube.
The media have even expressed concern about inappropriate role-playing opportunities in the games. The Sun UK, for example, reported that Mum shares outrage after seeing seven-year-old daughter’s character ‘gang-raped’ in online Roblox game. In that case, the Roblox developer said it was “outraged” to learn its rules had been “subverted” by a “bad actor.” They banned the offending person for life and made things harder for this to occur again.
One problem is that sometimes when you allow children to express their imagination, some will do so in inappropriate ways. Also, it is vital to remember that Roblox games target 8 to 18-year-olds, so you will find teenagers on the platform as well as young children.
This issue is not new. People were downloading nude patches for popular gaming franchise, The Sims, as far back as the original version of that game in 2004.
Roblox has recognized the concerns expressed by parents of young children, however. They have fronted up to complaints and altered the environment to make the inappropriate activity more difficult. They also have a section of their website called For Parents, which explains Roblox’s safety tools. These include avatar clothing detection, a reporting system, chat filters, and customizable parental controls.