Roblox Settles with Nevada for $12 Million, Enhancing Youth Protections

Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford Announces Landmark Settlement with Roblox

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The interactive gaming platform Roblox will implement increased protections for young users and pay more than $12 million to the state of Nevada in a first-of-its-kind agreement announced by state Attorney General Aaron Ford on Wednesday.

The settlement, which was agreed upon in lieu of litigation, includes enhanced protections for minors who use the app, such as requiring age verification for all users and restricting nighttime notifications for minors. This agreement is the result of a collaborative effort between Roblox and the Nevada Attorney General's office to create a safer environment for children online.

As part of the agreement, Roblox will implement facial age estimation technology to limit younger users' chats to only those in similar age groups. Adult users and users under 16 will not be allowed to chat unless they are communicating with a trusted friend, who can be added through a QR code or their phone contacts to ensure the child knows the person outside of the platform.

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Roblox will also create kids accounts for users under 16 that blocks access to adult-rated content and provides games vetted for suitability. The agreement also expands parental oversight to users under 16, a feature previously available for users under 13.

In addition to the enhanced protections, Roblox will pay $10 million over three years to support programs like the Boys & Girls Club and other nondigital activities. The company will also fund a law enforcement liaison position to respond to safety concerns about the platform and fund an online safety awareness campaign.

The settlement comes as prosecutors have filed lawsuits against social media companies over the role they play in children's lives. Last month, social media companies Meta and YouTube were found liable for designing their platforms to hook young users without concern for their well-being.

According to Donch'e King, supervising criminal investigator at the attorney general's office, half a million online predators pursue children at any given moment, often across multiple platforms. The majority of predatory contact occurs through chat rooms and instant messaging, highlighting the importance of parental oversight and open communication with children about the platforms they are using.

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| Comparison of Roblox's Enhanced Protections | | --- | --- | | Previous Protections | New Protections | | Age verification for users under 13 | Age verification for all users | | Restricting nighttime notifications for users under 13 | Restricting nighttime notifications for minors | | Parental oversight for users under 13 | Parental oversight for users under 16 | | | Creation of kids accounts for users under 16 with restricted access to adult-rated content and games vetted for suitability |

The settlement is a significant step towards creating a safer online environment for children and sets a precedent for how industry and regulators can work together to protect young users.