Thu, 13 Mar 2025

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 Keep kids off Roblox if you're worried, its CEO tells parents

The gaming platform is wildly popular, but has been rocked by allegations it exposes children to harmful content.

* The CEO of Roblox, Dave Baszucki, has said that parents who are worried about their children using the platform should just not let them use it.
* The company has been criticized for allowing explicit or harmful content on its games and platforms, as well as allegations of bullying and grooming.
* Baszucki claimed that "tens of millions" of users have had positive experiences on Roblox and that the company is vigilant in protecting its users.
* However, an investigation by the BBC found that it was easy to circumvent Roblox's safety filters and send messages to other users, including under-13s.
* Critics argue that Baszucki's message to parents is "a bit of a get out" and that it is not practical for parents to constantly supervise their children's use of the platform.
* The UK's Online Safety Act comes into force in April, which will impose strict laws on tech firms to protect children from online harms.
* Roblox has said that it uses advanced AI systems to monitor user communications and that anything flagged as suspicious is sent for review.
* The company was founded by Baszucki and his partner Greg Hessing, who noticed that kids were using their education software to play games rather than do homework.
* Roblox's digital currency, Robux, has been a key driver of the platform's success, with content creators earning 70% of the fee.
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