Roblox CEO tells parents, "don’t let your kids on the platform" if they're still concerned about its safety
After years of reports about the questionable safety of children on the gaming platform Roblox, the company's CEO Dave Baszucki has said that, while the company attempts to combat wrongdoers, parents should make the final decision whether or not their children use the platform if they have concerns.
The details:
Roblox, a platform that allows players to create and play a variety of user-created online games, has faced criticism in recent years for failing to protect its user base, which is primarily made up of children under the age of 18. The company has been accused of "exploiting" its users by making it difficult for them to cash out their earnings from creating popular games, as well as issues with child grooming and even gambling.
In a new interview with the BBC, Baszucki stated that if parents are still worried about their children's safety on Roblox, the best way to protect them is to prevent them from playing on the platform. "My first message would be, if you're not comfortable, don't let your kids be on Roblox," the CEO said. "That sounds a little counter-intuitive, but I would always trust parents to make their own decisions."
When asked by the BBC about a number of potentially "dangerous" Roblox games (referred to as experiences) that were recently recommended to an 11-year-old user, he said he "puts his faith in the platform's age rating systems." In regards to Roblox's messaging system, the publication discovered further problems with its content filter, allowing it to bypass flagged terms and direct younger users to other platforms.
Following the aforementioned reports, Roblox attempted to strengthen its security for younger players by reworking the features that certain age groups can access on the platform. For example, children under the age of 13 are not permitted to participate in "hangout" experiences centered on socializing with other players, and parents can monitor and restrict their children from playing certain types of games.
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