Roblox enhances parental controls for child safety

Roblox, a popular gaming platform, recently introduced a suite of new safety tools aimed at empowering parents to protect their children’s gaming experience. Announced in April 2025, these features allow parents to block friends and specific games from their children's accounts. The update marks a continuation of the company’s ongoing commitment to enhance safety measures since its major revamp that began in November 2023. Amid increasing concerns regarding online safety, especially for children, Roblox is actively engaging in discussions with parents and striving to meet the diverse needs of families. The chief safety officer, Matt Kaufman, emphasized that the company continuously strives to improve safety systems. Last year's major upgrades included restricting chat features for users under 13, ensuring they could not communicate with others outside of games without parental approval. This latest update allows parents to not only block titles deemed inappropriate but also monitor their child's gaming habits by viewing the top games played over the past week. The goal is to offer greater flexibility and control, catering to a wide range of parenting styles and concerns. The response from parents to these safety enhancements has been mixed. Parents who previously felt uneasy about their children’s exposure to potential risks on the platform welcomed these tools as a significant step in the right direction. For example, a mother reported her child being groomed on the platform and commented that while the updates are a positive start, there still remains a need for better user authentication. Overall, feedback reflects a blend of appreciation for the changes while urging Roblox to focus more on content moderation. As online engagement for children continues to rise, especially following the pandemic, the demand for robust safety features has never been more pressing. Kaufman noted that while some parents may be busy, safety should be an area of default focus for the platform. Hence, enhancements like the ability to block friends and view game activity indicate Roblox's commitment to creating a safer virtual environment. To foster trust, the company aims to ensure that parents can rely on the platform to safeguard their children without demanding excessive involvement.