Roblox has officially entered a new phase of online safety. Starting January 7, 2026, the platform is rolling out mandatory facial age checks for chat access across all regions where chat is available. What began as a limited rollout in early December is now becoming a global standard, making Roblox the first major gaming platform to require facial age estimation for users of all ages before they can chat.
According to Roblox Chief Safety Officer Matt Kaufman and Rajiv Bhatia, Vice President and Head of User and Discovery Product, this update represents a major step toward setting a gold standard for communication safety in online gaming. The system is designed to ensure age appropriate interactions while significantly reducing the risk of unsafe communication between adults and younger users.
Age based chat and how it works
The new system introduces age based chat groups that determine who players can communicate with. Users are grouped by age, and by default, they can chat with people in their own group as well as those directly above or below it. For example, players aged 9 to 12 can chat with users under 9 and those aged 13 to 15, but not with adults.
Children under the age of 9 require parental consent to access chat features. Users aged 13 and above gain more flexibility through Roblox’s Trusted Connections feature, which allows them to chat more freely with people they know. Roblox has also confirmed that additional systems are in development to make it easier for children to communicate safely with parents and siblings across age groups.
The core goal is clear: prevent users under 16 from directly communicating with adults by default, while still allowing meaningful and safe social interaction within appropriate boundaries.
Strong early adoption
Roblox reports strong momentum behind the change. Tens of millions of daily active users have already completed an age check. In regions like Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands, where the requirement has been live since early December, more than half of daily active users have successfully completed the process.
This early adoption suggests that users are willing to participate when they understand the benefits of age based communication and safer interactions.
Privacy first approach
Privacy concerns are often raised around facial verification, and Roblox has addressed this directly. Images and video used for facial age estimation are deleted immediately after secure processing. Roblox states that privacy is a core value, and no facial data is stored after the age check is completed.
The age estimation technology is provided by Persona and has been independently tested and certified. For users under 18, the system achieved a mean absolute error of 1.4 years in testing conducted by the Age Check Certification Scheme in the United Kingdom.
Accuracy, appeals, and backup systems
Roblox has emphasized that no automated system is perfect, which is why appeal and correction mechanisms are built into the process. If a user believes their age has been estimated incorrectly, they can appeal through customer support and verify their age using alternative methods such as ID verification or parental controls.
Even after a successful age check, Roblox continues monitoring behavior using multiple signals. If a user appears significantly older or younger than their verified age, the platform may prompt them to repeat the age check to maintain accuracy.
A multilayered safety system
Facial age checks are only one part of Roblox’s broader safety framework. The platform already blocks image sharing in chat, actively filters attempts to exchange personal information, and uses advanced moderation systems to remove content that violates community standards. Roblox also encourages parents to stay involved and talk with their children about online safety and responsible internet use.
While Roblox acknowledges that no system can prevent all harmful content, the company’s focus is on detecting and moderating issues before users encounter them and making reporting tools easily accessible.
What comes next
This global rollout is just the beginning. Roblox has confirmed that age checks will soon be required for creators who want to access real time collaboration features in Roblox Studio. Policy updates around Roblox communities are also planned, and age groups used for chat may differ from those applied to other features in the future.
With facial age checks now becoming a core requirement, Roblox is signaling a long term commitment to safer communication, transparency, and trust across its massive global player base.
Ankit kumar is a Digital Marketing Manager and a fan of the COD franchise and Roblox. Perfection is his forte, and the same can be seen in his work. He loves to invest his time in creating awesome content, doing SEO and discovering the latest games.