Roblox enforces facial age checks, restricts minor‑adult chat
Roblox introduces mandatory facial age verification for chat, assigns users to age groups, and limits communications between minors and adults starting December 2025.
Roblox is launching mandatory facial age checks to access chat features, grouping users into age brackets to prevent minors from chatting with much older users. The rollout begins December 2025 in select countries and expands globally in January 2026.
What We Know
On November 18, 2025, Roblox announced it will require users to complete a facial age estimation—or ID verification—to use platform chat. The feature will be optional at launch, with enforcement starting in early December 2025 in Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands, and expanding worldwide in early January 2026. Facial data is processed by Persona and deleted immediately after verification.
Users will be assigned to one of six age groups: under 9, 9–12, 13–15, 16–17, 18–20, and 21+. Chat access is limited to users in similar or adjacent age groups—a 12-year‑old, for example, cannot chat with users aged 16 or older unless connected via a “Trusted Connection,” which requires a preexisting real‑world relationship.
The update also disables chat by default for users under 9 unless parental consent is given, and maintains current restrictions for under‑13s accessing chat outside experiences. Social media links will also be blocked unless age-checked, and communication continues to be monitored and filtered with no image or video sharing allowed.
What It Means
Roblox’s facial age verification sets a new industry benchmark for safeguarding minors in online communications. The system reduces the risk of predatory interactions by limiting unsolicited contact between minors and adults. Privacy protections—such as immediate deletion of facial media and optional verification—provide safeguards while enabling more tailored, age‑appropriate communication among users.
The Backstory
This initiative builds on a series of safety enhancements deployed throughout 2025, including “Trusted Connections,” improved parental controls, and stricter content labeling and access restrictions for sensitive experiences. The move follows mounting legal scrutiny and lawsuits alleging that predators exploited Roblox to reach minors.
What’s Next
Following the chat rollout in January 2026, Roblox plans to extend age checks to restrict social media link access and to control participation in creator collaboration tools like Team Create. Continued expansion of age-based safety measures is expected through new moderation technologies and further parental transparency tools.
