Roblox Implements Mandatory Age Verification for Chat Access
January 7, 2026
Roblox is enforcing its previously announced policy requiring all users to undergo an age estimation process to access chat features. This initiative was announced in November 2025 and initially launched in December across Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands. Now, the age verification will be mandatory for all regions where chat functionalities are available.
The platform uses facial scan technology from Persona—also employed by Reddit—to estimate a user's age. Users can challenge their initial results by verifying their age through ID verification, and parents can update their child’s age using parental controls.
Once a user’s age has been verified, they will be permitted to chat with users in similar age brackets. Roblox states, “By default, users in each age group can chat with users in the groups directly above and below theirs (e.g., users aged 9-12 can chat with those in the 8-9 and 13-15 brackets).” Children under 9 require parental consent to utilize chat features.
Roblox reports that tens of millions of daily active users have already completed the age check, with the number expected to rise. Specifically, over 50% of daily users in Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands—where age checks have been mandatory since December—have successfully completed the process.
In response to child safety concerns, several states filed lawsuits against Roblox last year. Besides the age verification requirement, the platform has increased restrictions on sexual content and enhanced parental control options to protect younger users.
Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this on your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.