It’s no surprise to parents that kids love Roblox. With 66.2 million daily active users as of May 2023, Roblox is the most popular online game among kids.
In the Roblox universe, players create their own avatars, dress them in fun and funky costumes, and explore worlds created by themselves and other players. The game's design appeals primarily to younger players and teens.
Today, over 67% of Roblox users are under the age of 16 with the largest demographic of Roblox players being between age 9-12! But are all the features of the game actually kid-friendly?
The multiplayer format of Roblox and other popular online gaming platforms and communication apps like Discord is part of the draw. Text chat and voice chat within these games allows kids to interact socially online with other players and make friends. However, this freedom to talk and play with anyone has raised some safety concerns.
Many parents' big question is, “How do I know who my child interacts with while playing Roblox games?” Because the gameplay is open and appeals to people of all ages, you have no real way of knowing who is on the other side of the screen.
Related: Is Roblox Safe for Kids 8 Years Old and Younger?
Is Roblox Voice Chat Safe?
Of course, if your kids are like mine, they’ve exchanged Roblox IDs with their friends at school, so they can play together on weekends. But I also know they have “friends” on there that they and I’ve never met.
So is Roblox chat safe? What are the ways parents can protect their kids from inappropriate content? And how can parents make sure the people their child is talking with are trustworthy?
Parents should follow these important Roblox safety tips that can protect their kids from the dangers of Roblox Chat, Discord, and other popular platforms that allow gamers to use to text and voice chat with each other online.
Roblox Chat Safety Features
Thankfully, Roblox takes several steps to make the Roblox experience safe for all players by attempting to verify all players' age before they are able to use the Roblox Chat with Voice feature.
According to Roblox Support’s Chat with Voice documentation:
- To use voice chat on your Roblox account, you must be age-verified and prove you are 13. To complete the verification process, you’ll need the following:
- Government-issued ID
- Verified phone number and email
- Working microphone
- Parents can also use parental controls on Roblox by setting up a parental code, so children can’t change chat settings
- Players can limit or disable who is allowed to chat with them
- Parents can set age restrictions on the games their child has access to
- Players can block or report other users harassing, bullying, using inappropriate language, or sending inappropriate content.
Additional Roblox Safety Features
Roblox also makes it easy for parents to monitor their children’s actions on the platform. Parents can view the following:
- Small group and direct person-to-person chats
- Private message history
- Friends and followers
- Virtual purchase and trade transaction history
- Recently played games
What is Discord?
Discord is a separate talk, text, and chat app gamers use to communicate while playing video games. Discord, like Roblox's voice chat feature, has an age restriction. The minimum age is between 13-16, but it varies by country. In the U.S., it is 13.
I recently learned about Discord because my twelve-year-old asked to get it. So I took a look and told him he needed to be 13 and would have to wait a year which nipped that conversation in the bud (after a bit of whining on his part).
However, 13 is still very young to chat with people you don’t know. And Discord, unlike Roblox Voice Chat, does not have an age verification system outside of asking about your birthday. Many kids under 13 lie about their age to create an account and make themselves appear older or younger to other gamers.
You also do not have to be gaming to use Discord to chat and text with others.
Safety Features on Discord
Even though Discord does not have an age verification process outside of asking for a person’s birthday, or specific parental controls, they do have some safety features for subscribers within the traditional account settings.
- Privacy settings control who can friend you and send messages.
- Data collection settings control how much personal data Discord can collect and store for analytical purposes.
- Crisis Text Line for users suffering a mental health crisis or who want to report dangerous or inappropriate content.
- Harmful Off-Platform Behavior Policy. Discord will address any harmful off-platform behavior they become aware of one of their members participating in.
What are the Dangers Associated with Roblox Voice Chat and Discord?
Although the Roblox corporation takes online safety seriously and does everything within its power to keep Roblox safe, no system is full-proof. The in-game voice chat feature has garnered criticism for not filtering out inappropriate content including slurs, simulated sexual noise, and discussions of illicit/illegal behavior including drug sales and crime.
Inappropriate Content and Cyberbullying/Threats
Children and teens who use voice chat and Discord are liable to exposure to:
- Profanity and other crude or inappropriate language
- Hate speech
- Cyberbullying and harassment
- Sexual innuendo or sexual content
- Cyber predators
- Credit card or identity theft
The safety issues with Roblox voice chat extend even to children who are too young to have Chat with Voice on their own accounts.
Many videos of inappropriate or explicit interactions on Roblox voice chat have been uploaded to YouTube, and are easily findable by children searching for Roblox content. That’s another reason why it’s important to enable kid-friendly safety settings on YouTube and other search engines as well.
Online Predators and Identity Theft
In addition to inappropriate content, there may be bots or predators prowling for financial and personal information. Talk with your kids about chat etiquette and how they should never share their:
- Real name
- Age
- Date of birth
- Where they live or go to school
- Your credit card info (although it's best if they don’t even have access to this!)
The Roblox website has an in-game currency called Robux. Players can use Robux to buy gear, skins, and other items from the virtual game shop. Fortnite has V-bucks.
I’m sure you’ve heard horror stories of kids racking thousands of dollars on their parent’s credit cards with in-game transactions. The best thing you can do is not link your card to their account.
My boys have to ask every single time they want to purchase in-game currency, and I have to approve the sale with a parental code or email verification, depending on the site. If you have a card link, link PayPal or a credit card because it is much easier to get your money back if erroneous charges occur.
Software to Keep Kids Safe Online Gaming
Even with these safety concerns, it’s unrealistic and unhelpful to forbid kids from ever playing online games with their friends.
Implementing software to keep kids safe online allows for better parental supervision, and opens the door to better communication with your child about online threats, so you can set rules and boundaries. Parental control software can help parents create a safe and secure online environment for their kids while allowing them to enjoy the benefits of online gaming and socializing.
ProtectMe Gives Parents Added Peace of Mind
Parents can use a service like ProtectMe from Kidas. ProtectMe is the number one Security Software for Windows Computer Games like Roblox, Minecraft, and Fortnite. ProtectMe is a leading security software program for parents of gamers.
Features of ProtectMe:
- Monitors in-game voice and text communication in over 200 video games on Windows Computers
- Allows parents to monitor both in-game voice and text communication in video game chats for Roblox and over 200 other games played on a Windows computer/PC.
- Detects and sends real-time alerts about online threats such as chats with an online predator, scams, cyberbullying, hate speech, sextortion, drug exposure, sexual content, and more.
- Sends parents weekly reports as well as real-time alerts for the most dangerous and concerning threats on their child’s gaming accounts.
- Alert parents if their child has shared credit cards or other personal information.
- Provides parents with online safety tips on how to handle threat exposure and talk to their children about the importance of online safety
I also love that ProtectMe is an affordable option, offering a low-cost monthly plan of $6 or an annual plan of only $60!
Other Steps Parents Can Take to Keep Their Kids Safe Online
Ultimately the role of keeping kids safe online is the responsibility of the parents. If you are worried about what your child will see, hear, or engage with while using a specific gaming platform, it is your job to monitor them.
Educate Kids on the Dangers of Sharing Personal Information Online
Talk to your kids about online predators, how to handle uncomfortable or inappropriate situations, and what is OK and NOT to share on social media. For example, young children should be discouraged from sharing selfies or personal information, including their real first name, where they live or go to school, or their age.
Make Sure Your Kids Can Report Online Threats to a Trusted Adult
Parents should also teach their kids how to report offensive content, block users they don’t want to talk to, and come to an adult if they need help. Teaching your child how to handle these situations gives them a sense of independence.
Make Online Gaming a Family Activity
Learn about your child’s gaming habits, have regular internet and chat safety discussions, and set privacy and parental control settings at levels that ensure your comfort.
Even if you’re not into playing multiplayer games with your kids, hang out with them while they play. Watching a round of Fortnite is not my idea of a thrilling 20 minutes, but I almost always say yes when my son asks! It's a way to connect with my son over something he enjoys, and it means as a mom, I can glimpse his world and see what he’s playing.
Disable Voice Chat Functions
Lastly, if you don’t want your child chatting with others while gaming, do not enable voice chat on their account or supply them with a microphone. Parents can also disable the text chat function if needed. However, keep in mind the reason most kids play these games is for the social aspect.
Monitor Kids’ Online Activity with Online Safety Tools
Use online safety services like ProtectMe to monitor your child’s in-game behavior and text chat messages. Some parents worry about invading their child’s privacy, and children and teens should have some level of privacy. However, it is a privilege that must be earned through trust.
ProtectMe only alerts you when there is something to be concerned about, so it protects your child's autonomy as long as they are engaged in appropriate behavior.
The world of online chat and text can be scary for parents, mainly because we didn’t grow up using it. But there are many services that help keep kids and teens safe because protecting your child online is just as important as keeping them safe offline.
Want to try ProtectMe for yourself? Sign up on their site and get a no-strings-attached free trial of the program for 30 days right now!