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“Roblox Games” Explained: Is It Safe For Children?

Safety tips for Roblox Games

Would you let your kids play the Roblox games?

If you are a parent to a teen or tween, then you probably have heard the name Roblox. During the pandemic, the popularity of this game touched the sky and it created a huge user base of more than 42 million people. Not only this, in the first quarter of 2021, the Roblox games were played by gamers for 9.7 billion hours. More than, half of these users were young kids. This app has been in the market since 2006 but it recently gained the crown of being one of the most popular gaming apps for kids. 

Wondering why? 

First thing first, let me tell you what is Roblox and why kids are loving it.

About Roblox Games 

Roblox corporation claims itself as a global platform aimed at bringing people together through play. Although Roblox is an online video gaming app, it is slightly different from Minecraft and Fortnite. It is a hub of over 40.000 multiplayer online games developed by inexperienced game enthusiasts. 

The most popular games of Roblox online include Adopt Me, Tower of Hell, and Meep City. After individuals sign up for Roblox, they can play Roblox games with their friends as well as strangers around the world. Users do not need to pay any fee to play this game, but there are in-app purchases for getting additional features. 

It’s play store description says

“It is a virtual platform for creating, sharing experiences with mates, and turn into anything you dream of. Accompany people and explore a variety of experiences developed by a global community!” 

Why Kids Love Roblox Games?

Below mentioned are some reasons because of which children choose Roblox to play or to create. 

Roblox is free to use

Kids can download Roblox as well as play Roblox games at no cost. Although, there are in-app purchases for which children need to use the customized currency, Robux. 

Easy to play

For those who are new to the world of video gaming, Roblox is a blessing. Its features and tools are very easy to use. Whether one is looking for Roblox to play or to create their own games, they will not be disappointed. It is a healthy environment for experimenting with new things. 

Source for earning money

As we have explained that children and other users cannot just play Roblox online games, they can also create them. If their game gains popularity, they can be financially rewarded too. 

Roblox has a Social Media Network

Children simply love accessing toxic social media platforms and that is why they get attracted to chat boxes of the Roblox games. 

Now, you must be curious to know the age rating of this much-talked-about game.

Age Rating Of Roblox

Most content in the Roblox online platform is designed by users and probably that is why Roblox games do not go through the same rigorous content restrictions commercial companies deals with. 

Age rating for iOS

  • Suitable for 12 plus kids 
  • Contains occasionally mild violent content based on cartoons, reality, or fantasy. 

Age rating for Android

  • Suitable for 10 plus kids
  • Contains fantasy violence

Although its age rating says otherwise, I do not think you should let your child younger than 13 play this game unmonitored. 

Risks Attached With Roblox Games

Our panel of experts tried this app and found several loopholes which children need to watch out for while playing Roblox.

Troubling Interactions

The online chat feature is a window to troubling elements. Yes, one can turn this feature off but there are also third-party chat windows that look like they are part of the game. It may lead to cyberbullying or interaction with any troubling stranger.

Sexualized Content

Some characters created by users are not at all appropriate for kids. They have been programmed to perform erotic or demeaning acts during the game. 

In-game purchases

For doing anything beyond basic on Roblox, one has to pay a hefty amount of money. Wondering, what’s the name of the paid membership to Roblox?

It is Roblox premium and it comes in three subscription levels:- 

  • $4.99 including 450 Robux
  • $9.99 including 1000 Robux
  • $19.99 including 2200 Robux

There is a chance that your children may make some expensive payments without your information. 

Any online multiplayer game is a window to online dangers. And that is when the role of parental controls comes into play. Does Roblox have much-needed native parental controls? 

Yes, Roblox games have added inbuilt parental controls to do their bit in making this gaming app safe. 

What Are Roblox Parental Controls And How To Enable Them?

Roblox has inbuilt parental controls to curate the content your children may deal with and for designing a list of age-appropriate games. By enabling its parental controls, you can make sure that all the avatars in the game are wearing appropriate attire. It also applies chat filters to proactively remove slang and inappropriate content. Also, Roblox lets you monitor your kid’s private and public chat history, friends, and followers. You can even see their purchase history, creations, and recently played games. 

You can enable Roblox parental controls in three simple steps :

  1. Sign up for Roblox. After opening the game, you will see a gear icon on the top right corner, click on it.
  2. Choose Settings and there click on Security.
  3. Toggle ON the account Restrictions slider. 

Now let me tell you how you can make use of these parental controls and other tips and tricks to make this application safe for kids. 

How To Make Roblox Safe For Children?

  • Needless to say, the first thing you need to do is to enable parental controls in the Roblox games.
  • Even if your kid is older than thirteen, register their age below thirteen in this gaming application. It will automatically enable content filtering for blocking inappropriate content. 
  • Do not think twice to block or report any disruptive element.
  • Play with your kid. It will make your parent-kid interaction healthier as well as let you monitor their activity most effectively.
  • Control Screen Time- In-built parental controls of Roblox do not have the option of setting time limits. Use best parental controls like Bit Guardian Parental Control to set an overall time limit on this game. It can also let you maintain their routine by blocking this or any unhealthy game at bedtime, mealtimes, or study time. 
  • Turn voice chats off if possible.

Final Thoughts on Roblox Games 

Roblox is a very helpful platform for kindling the creativity of teens and tweens. By designing and playing Roblox games, they can develop their imagination, social skills and learn how to code. But, there is too much risk involved with it if children are playing it unmonitored. My advice would be to let your children play but do not let your guard down. There is nothing wrong with being a helicopter parent if that could save your kid from crucial risks like online bullying, data theft, and online harassment. 

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About author

Somya Shrimal is a content writer by profession and by heart. She loves to write about technology, lifestyle, fashion and books. Being an electrical engineer , she has a passion to learn and try new things. Somya likes reading, writing, travelling and of course food.
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