Red Sky Alliance recently heard a Podcast presented by the Torch, which highlighted US law enforcement sources explaining the hazards of the gaming platform RoBlox. This is a popular game frequented by children of various ages. Questions arise asking: Is your kid begging for a Roblox account or more screen time to play it? Have you noticed your child chatting online while playing Roblox? If these issues have cropped up in your household, you may wonder whether Roblox is safe for kids.[1]
Roblox attracts more than 80 million users every day, and some three-fifths of those players are children under age 13.1, with the Roblox boom showing no signs of stopping. Some parents worry about its effects on developing brains and bodies, not to mention the safety risks associated with its multiplayer platform and open communication policy.
Experts say that Roblox can be a safe gaming platform for kids, especially when parents take steps to monitor their children's usage. Here, we dive into what Roblox is, potential risks to be aware of, and how you can help your child enjoy this fun platform safely.
So what Is Roblox? Advertised as an "imagination platform," Roblox is a free game-creation platform available across a range of devices from smartphones, tablets, and computers to gaming consoles like Xbox, Playstation, and Meta Quest (formerly known as Oculus). The Roblox platform offers an enormous variety of games—some 40 million, with more being added each day.2
Is Roblox Free? Roblox may be free to download, but users typically spend some money while playing it. The platform also has its own currency called "Robux." Players most commonly use Robux to upgrade the costumes, accessories, or gear of their avatars (the digital form they take on while navigating a game).
What's unique about Roblox is that users can design and upload their own games on a proprietary program called Roblox Studio to share and play with users all over the world.
Some popular Roblox game themes include:
- Action, games that often involve combat or warfare
- Adventure, such as exploration or scavenger hunts
- Obby, obstacle course games unique to Roblox
- RPG/simulation, role-playing games that simulate life experiences, from pet ownership to social cooperation
- RNG, luck-based games that earn users items exclusive to the game
- Shopping, games used to purchase digital items using Robux
Additionally, Roblox encourages users to interact with one another. The platform features a "Party" tab, where players can chat with one another while they navigate digital battlefields, obstacle courses, neighborhoods, and more. That’s where criminal deviants hide and wait.
The Risks for Kids on Roblox - Roblox allows children of any age to download and play, and its easy-to-use functionality, creative tools, and free games make it especially appealing to young gamers, says Titania Jordan, chief parent officer of parental-control app Bark and co-author of Parenting in a Tech World. But experts say that Roblox is not a great choice for young kids, especially if they use the platform excessively or engage in games or social content that are above their maturity level. Here are the risks kids can encounter when playing.
- Addiction Potential
Certain online activities are designed to keep users playing for as long as possible, and Roblox is one of them. Roblox's social aspect, in-game reward system, and endless game options make it hard for kids to transition off of Roblox to do other things, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).3
- Exposure to Mature Game Content
With millions of games, Roblox features plenty of kid-friendly content. However, some games may not be appropriate for young children, including ones involving shooting or warfare, horror and "jump scares," or romantic—even sexual—relationships between avatars.
Roblox has introduced age restrictions for certain games. Users aged 8 and younger can only access games that Roblox has deemed to contain "mild" or "minimal" mature content. They need parent permission through email verification to access "moderate" content containing:
- Moderate violence
- Light realistic blood
- Moderate crude humor
- Unplayable gambling content
- Moderate fear
Children can get around this barrier by using an older age when registering for their account as only users aged 13 and older are asked to verify their age with identification.
- Unsafe Interactions
Although kids might be interacting with other kids, there are also plenty of adults on the platform, and harassment and exploitation by predators is a potential risk, says Shelby Knox, campaign director for ParentsTogether, a family-focused nonprofit organization in the US.
Roblox now restricts messaging features for kids ages 12 and under. Players must be 13 or older to privately message other users on the platform outside of the open chats that are viewable to anyone during games. With its age verification feature, a child must verify they are 13 and older using a government-issued photo ID like a passport.
Roblox also has a human review team that monitors chat behavior. For users under 13, filters are even stricter, such as blocking all use of numbers and personally identifiable information. The platform also does not allow sending images or video via chat or one-to-one user interactions.
How To Keep Your Child Safe on Roblox - Whether or not Roblox is safe for your kids depends in part on the steps you take to protect them when they're online. Here are some expert-approved strategies to protect your kids from the potential dangers of Roblox so they can enjoy games safely.
- Set Roblox Time Limits with your Child
The AAP recommends that children under age 5 spend no more than one hour per day on screens and advises that older children stop screen use at least one hour before bedtime. Other than that, the AAP does not advise specific screen time limits for kids. It advises that parents discuss reasonable daily video game limits with older children and teens. When a desire to play Roblox becomes a fixation that interferes with daily functioning: such as school success, sleep, and real-life friendships, that's a good indication that parents need to enforce limits to help kids scale back on their use.
- Bookmark Roblox's Family Guide
"Roblox continues to strengthen safety and parental control options on its platform," notes Jordan. To keep current with Roblox's safety features, visit its Families and Caregivers page often. It is continually updated with news and advice for the adults in young Roblox gamers' lives.
- Register to Set up Parental Controls
Experts stress the importance of understanding parental controls for any game, app, or website your child wants to use including Roblox. Start by overseeing registration to make sure your child registers with their correct birth year.
Roblox now requires parents to create their own accounts when registering for parental control over their children's accounts. Having an account will allow you to more closely monitor everything your child is doing on the app, from group chats to purchases.
- Disable Chat Features
To keep Roblox safe for kids, Bark recommends that parents disable their child's chat functionality, especially if they're not supervising play directly.
To limit kids' ability to chat with strangers in Parties while playing Roblox:
- Go to Settings.
- Go to Parental Controls.
- Go to Settings You Manage.
- Go to Communication.
- Select Party.
- Select "No one" if you don't want your child to participate in any parties.
These settings allow you to disable users under 13 from chatting amid games. It may be especially important for you to enforce parental controls on teenagers between 13 and 17, who otherwise have free reign to contact (and be contacted by) strangers not only in Parties, but in private messages, too.
- Safe Chats
Child Internet safety watchdog Common Sense Media encourages parents to coach kids to not chat with people they don't know in real life and to not accept private messages (PMs) from anyone they don't know.
How to Tell Who Your Kid Is Talking to Online and How to Keep Their Convos Cool. Common Sense Media. 2020.
It also advises that parents teach kids to never give away personal information, trust their instincts if someone makes them uncomfortable, and never move a conversation to a different platform (a telltale predator red flag).
- Maintain an Open Line of Communication
Whether you're directly supervising your child on Roblox or not, Knox recommends having ongoing, direct, and open conversations to ensure your child knows that they can and should talk to you if they see or experience anything online that doesn't seem right to them. "Parents need to use the parental controls available and talk to their kids about safely engaging in online spaces," says Knox. "It's not enough to have these conversations once; parents need to keep an open line of communication."
Better yet, consider using the app for more than monitoring. Play Roblox with your child to bond with them, get a better understanding of why they love the platform, and be better prepared to help them navigate it safely. Or better yet, stop on line gaming for kids.
Know what your child is doing on-line.
Sources:
- Daily active users (DAU) of Roblox games worldwide from 4th quarter 2019 to 4th quarter 2024, by age group. Statista. 2025.
- How many games are on Roblox?Esports. 2024.
- Using Roblox and YouTube For Extended Periods Of Time. American Academy of Pediatrics. 2023.
- Beyond Screen Time: Help Your Kids Build Healthy Media Use Habits. American Academy of Pediatrics. 2022.
- How to Tell Who Your Kid Is Talking to Online—and How to Keep Their Convos Cool. Common Sense Media. 2020.
This article is shared at no charge for educational and informational purposes only.
Red Sky Alliance is a Cyber Threat Analysis and Intelligence Service organization. We provide indicators of compromise information via a notification service (RedXray) or an analysis service (CTAC). For questions, comments or assistance, please contact the office directly at 1-844-492-7225, or feedback@redskyalliance.com
Weekly Cyber Intelligence Briefings:
- Reporting: https://www.redskyalliance.org/
- Website: https://www.redskyalliance.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/64265941
Weekly Cyber Intelligence Briefings:
REDSHORTS - Weekly Cyber Intelligence Briefings
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5207428251321676122
[1] https://www.parents.com/kids/safety/internet/is-roblox-safe-for-kids/
Comments