Roblox's Age Verification System in Shambles Amid Criticism of Ineffectiveness
In an effort to address the allegations of child predators exploiting its platform, Roblox implemented age verification checks for chat users. However, less than a week into the rollout, reports have surfaced that the system is failing miserably, classifying children as adults and vice versa.
The platform's new mandatory age verification process involves either taking a selfie to estimate facial age or uploading government ID documents. Once verified, users can only chat with other players in groups around their age range. However, this isn't sitting well with parents and developers alike.
There have been numerous reports of the system incorrectly identifying users as adults, including one instance where a 23-year-old was mistakenly classified as a 16- or 17-year-old. Another case saw an 18-year-old placed in the 13-to-15 age range, leaving some to wonder if the system is even working at all.
On the other hand, some young users have been exploiting these issues by using fake avatars and images to trick the system into believing they're adults. One clever user even drew wrinkles and stubble on their face to fool the age verification feature, only to be classified as a 21-year-old.
Roblox's Chief Safety Officer, Matt Kaufman, acknowledged that some users are getting around the age verification checks by having parents or guardians submit ID documents on their behalf. The company is working on solutions to address this issue and promises to share more updates soon.
Despite Roblox's efforts to enhance safety measures, many developers and users are expressing frustration with the new changes. Some have taken to social media to express their discontent, with one user sharing a graph showing that usage of the chat feature has plummeted from nearly 90% to just 36.5%.
With its reputation on the line, Roblox faces a daunting task in balancing safety and accessibility. While it's clear that the company is making efforts to tackle child predator issues, the current state of its age verification system raises questions about its effectiveness.
Only time will tell if Roblox can get its act together and provide a safe space for its users. Until then, parents, developers, and users alike should be wary of the platform's limitations and potential vulnerabilities.
In an effort to address the allegations of child predators exploiting its platform, Roblox implemented age verification checks for chat users. However, less than a week into the rollout, reports have surfaced that the system is failing miserably, classifying children as adults and vice versa.
The platform's new mandatory age verification process involves either taking a selfie to estimate facial age or uploading government ID documents. Once verified, users can only chat with other players in groups around their age range. However, this isn't sitting well with parents and developers alike.
There have been numerous reports of the system incorrectly identifying users as adults, including one instance where a 23-year-old was mistakenly classified as a 16- or 17-year-old. Another case saw an 18-year-old placed in the 13-to-15 age range, leaving some to wonder if the system is even working at all.
On the other hand, some young users have been exploiting these issues by using fake avatars and images to trick the system into believing they're adults. One clever user even drew wrinkles and stubble on their face to fool the age verification feature, only to be classified as a 21-year-old.
Roblox's Chief Safety Officer, Matt Kaufman, acknowledged that some users are getting around the age verification checks by having parents or guardians submit ID documents on their behalf. The company is working on solutions to address this issue and promises to share more updates soon.
Despite Roblox's efforts to enhance safety measures, many developers and users are expressing frustration with the new changes. Some have taken to social media to express their discontent, with one user sharing a graph showing that usage of the chat feature has plummeted from nearly 90% to just 36.5%.
With its reputation on the line, Roblox faces a daunting task in balancing safety and accessibility. While it's clear that the company is making efforts to tackle child predator issues, the current state of its age verification system raises questions about its effectiveness.
Only time will tell if Roblox can get its act together and provide a safe space for its users. Until then, parents, developers, and users alike should be wary of the platform's limitations and potential vulnerabilities.
. I mean, who thought it was a good idea to ask users to upload ID docs or take selfies to verify age? It's just too easy for fake avatars to get around this 
. And what about all the parents whose kids are still getting into the chat with 'older' kids? This system is a hot mess 
. Can't they see how vulnerable it makes users, especially kids who shouldn't be exposed to that kind of stuff? Roblox needs to rethink their whole strategy on safety and accessibility before this reputation gets any worse 
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it feels like theyre just trying to sweep things under the rug but its clear that it needs a major overhaul ASAP 
the fact that some users are exploiting these loopholes is just ridiculous, like who draws wrinkles on ur face to trick the system lol 
and yeah I can see why devs & parents are frustrated with the new changes, its like theyre taking 2 steps forward but 3 steps back 
. The age verification system is literally broken 
. How are they going to trust their platform when users can just fake their age and exploit the system? 
It's like they didn't even test it properly before rolling it out 
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. Using fake avatars and drawings to trick the system? That's just impressive 
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. Until then, I'll be keeping an eye on this situation 
this is just so suspicious, i mean, how did they expect people to use their new age verification system without it being hacked or exploited? 
it's like they wanted the system to fail so they could say "oh no, we didn't do it right" and then fix it later. but what if someone on the inside is intentionally messing with the system? 
i mean, have you seen those videos of people exploiting the glitches? it's like they're trying to outsmart the system! 
i don't trust these guys as far as i can throw my controller. 
i mean what's the point of having an age verification system if it's just gonna fail miserably every time? 
and yeah, I can see how fake avatars would be a thing now... I've seen some kids making their own with paint and stuff already 
. It's like, come on! Get it together, Roblox 
.
. They'll be like, "Oh, it's okay, they're fine." But they won't realize that Roblox's system is failing miserably 
. They need to fix this age verification system ASAP 
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. I'm seeing 23-year-olds being listed as minors and 16-17 year olds getting marked as adults... what's up with that?! 
And don't even get me started on the fake avatars and images people are using to trick the system 
. It's like, you can't even trust the thing anymore 
They need to figure out a better way to verify ages without being so easily fooled. 
The fact that some users are taking to social media to express their frustration just shows how frustrated everyone is with this situation 
. The fact that some users are exploiting these issues is a red flag, and it makes me question whether this system is even safe 
.
. Until then, I'll be keeping an eye on things 
. The company's trying, but it's like they're playing catch-up and I'm low-key worried about the future of this platform