In July 2024, Bloomberg published a damning report dubbed ‘Roblox’s Pedophile Problem‘. As alarming as that sounds, it wasn’t the first time that the topic had entered the press – far from it, in fact. For years, this game has suffered under the weight of controversies centred around this very topic, prompting many to ask time and again, is Roblox safe for kids?
It was estimated in February 2025 that Roblox had as many as 380 monthly active users. That player count has been analysed, and it has been determined that approximately 40% of those active users are under the age of 13. That’s a concerning number in itself, so let’s dive into the topic and talk about the truth of whether your children are safe on Roblox.
Are My Kids Safe on Roblox?
In 2022, the BBC reported that Roblox, the most popular game in the United Kingdom amongst young players, was a breeding ground for cyber-bullying and inappropriate sexual behaviour. The shocking report contained quotes from the NSPCC and Childline, both protective organisations that safeguard children in the UK.
Naturally, these concerns have sat uncomfortably with parents for several years, and the issues aren’t going away. The Roblox Corporation, the multi-billion-dollar company behind the game, has tried to implement firmer parental control mechanics and monitoring systems to capture inappropriate behaviour, but it’s an uphill slog at times.
Earlier this year, the ongoing issues were dubbed ‘deeply disturbing‘ by researchers.
Let me dive into a little context here, just in case you’re not in the know…
What is Roblox?
Roblox is a relatively unique video game that’s available on multiple platforms – Xbox, PlayStation, and PC, for example. It’s a game ecosystem that’s made up of thousands of smaller games built by Roblox designers and players from all around the world. That means that it’s very diverse.
You could walk in on your child playing a racing game, an action-based title with guns, a life simulation game, or a game that might look like gambling, and it’s all Roblox. It’s a multiplayer game at heart that encourages players to communicate with one another and work together, or play together, in many different ways.
What are the risks with Roblox?
The inherent risks of Roblox are the same as any internet-connected game or platform. If your child is playing Roblox unsupervised, the door is being left open to bullying, scams, and inappropriate or malicious behaviour. There are also concerns around addiction and exposure to mature content, given the open-ended nature of what can be created with the ‘Roblox Studio’.
Is Roblox free?
Roblox is free to play, but users can purchase optional ‘Robux’ or Roblox Premium subscriptions that give them rewards or allow them to make purchases in certain games. That’s another concern – it’s very accessible. There is almost nothing stopping a child from turning on a console, downloading Roblox, and playing games on the platform.
Should Kids Play Roblox?
Truthfully, Roblox is more or less designed for children. It represents a wealth of opportunities to learn, design, entertain, and explore, with or without friends. It’s a powerful platform that features thousands of games, which means it’s perfect for keeping children engaged while gaming on a tighter budget.
The ESRB has rated Roblox T for Teen, which is indicative of the nature of some content on the platform. In Europe, PEGI has rated the game 7+ for similar reasons. It’s not fair to say that children shouldn’t play Roblox, but as a parent myself, I’m a huge advocate for proper safeguarding measures.
The Roblox Corporation has invested in some protective mechanics, such as a filtering system that automatically scans for inappropriate content and personal information in the chats of players aged 12 and under. Parents can also do quite a lot to protect their children, such as locking private chat functionality or restricting friend requests.
How To Protect My Kid on Roblox
If you want to complete a security sweep and keep your child as safe as possible on Roblox, there are a few things you can do.
- Set age restrictions to limit what your child can see and who they can play with
- Manage chat settings, opting to block communications entirely from those not on your friends list
- Set spending limits and block any unauthorised payments from taking place
- Use a parent account to control almost every aspect of your child’s Roblox account
You can use the Content Maturity Level feature to restrict games and services outside of what you’d like your child to see, and if you want to block types of games, you can do that too.
If you’ve been wondering if there are days to keep your child safe on Roblox, you can go beyond the game itself and look at the console or device your kid is playing on. There are parental control functions on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms. It’s a little trickier to control mobile devices, PCs, and laptops, but it’s still possible to install apps or use child profiles to control things a little better.
With That Being Said, Should My Kid Play Roblox?
It’s entirely up to you as a parent whether you want your children to play Roblox. The nature of the game means that they’re almost destined to play with other users from around the world unless you adopt the right safeguarding measures. The Roblox Corporation can only do so much, and it’s a solid idea to practice good internet health with your children from a young age.
Roblox isn’t a boogeyman title that’s out to corrupt the minds of your children, but you should approach it – and any multiplayer-based game – with a desire to learn as much as possible about the risks it presents and how you can best keep your child safe online.
How Can I Report to Roblox
If you do have a problem with Roblox, such as you’ve identified a malicious player or have suspicions about someone trying to harass your child, you can take the following steps:
- Block the player and eliminate any chances of them continuing to contact your child
- On the Roblox platform, you can report any individual player through the main menu, selecting from a list of reasons and adding any additional details you feel are relevant.
- You can report players through the app chat function
- You can also file reports against experiences (games) on the main menu of Roblox
The Roblox support page has further details on how to make reports in specific territories.
I hope this has helped you understand the risks of Roblox and how to better protect your kids on the platform. Feel free to join the Insider Gaming forum or leave a comment below if you have further concerns.
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Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
More from Grant Taylor-Hill
No it’s not safe for kids rampant with pdf and the collabs are not child friendly i mean chucky I think Tokyo Ghoul was last. Don’t let the art style fool you. Same with Twitch dont let your kids on there or TikTok it’s OF promotion