Roblox's Age Verification System Hits Rock Bottom. A week into its implementation and the platform is already facing criticism for misclassifying users of all ages.
The move was meant to tackle allegations of child predators using the site to groom young children, but in reality, it seems like a case of "you can't keep a good kid down." The system's facial age estimation feature has been spotted classifying 16- and 17-year-olds as adults, while an 18-year-old was placed in the 13-15 age bracket. However, this isn't all - online videos are showing kids using avatar images to spoof the system into believing they're older.
One clever youngster managed to get himself classified as a 21-year-old by drawing wrinkles and stubble on his face. Meanwhile, another sneaky kid flashed a photo of Kurt Cobain to receive an adult classification. It's clear that this system is in need of a serious overhaul.
Roblox CEO has come out with a statement defending the company's efforts: "We're not done yet," he said. "This isn't about being perfect overnight." However, developers on the platform are having none of it, taking to the forums to vent their frustration at the update and call for its reversal. With user engagement plummeting from 90% to just 36.5%, it's clear that this system needs a serious fix - fast.
The question is, how long will Roblox be able to keep predators out while also keeping users engaged? The platform's safety record has been marred by allegations of child exploitation, and until they get their age verification system right, the future looks uncertain.
The move was meant to tackle allegations of child predators using the site to groom young children, but in reality, it seems like a case of "you can't keep a good kid down." The system's facial age estimation feature has been spotted classifying 16- and 17-year-olds as adults, while an 18-year-old was placed in the 13-15 age bracket. However, this isn't all - online videos are showing kids using avatar images to spoof the system into believing they're older.
One clever youngster managed to get himself classified as a 21-year-old by drawing wrinkles and stubble on his face. Meanwhile, another sneaky kid flashed a photo of Kurt Cobain to receive an adult classification. It's clear that this system is in need of a serious overhaul.
Roblox CEO has come out with a statement defending the company's efforts: "We're not done yet," he said. "This isn't about being perfect overnight." However, developers on the platform are having none of it, taking to the forums to vent their frustration at the update and call for its reversal. With user engagement plummeting from 90% to just 36.5%, it's clear that this system needs a serious fix - fast.
The question is, how long will Roblox be able to keep predators out while also keeping users engaged? The platform's safety record has been marred by allegations of child exploitation, and until they get their age verification system right, the future looks uncertain.
I'm telling you, this whole thing is a setup... They're just messing with us to distract us from something bigger 
. I mean, think about it, they finally implement an age verification system to tackle child predators and what happens? It's like they wanted the backlash to happen in the first place 
. And now they're all like "we're not done yet" 
... Like, what does that even mean? Are they trying to make us think it's still a work in progress so we don't get too worked up about it? 
I'm calling foul on this one 
. They need to take responsibility for their mistakes and fix the system ASAP before more kids are hurt 
.
. It's like, totally not working as intended 
. They're trying to protect kids from predators, but it's just making things worse 
. I mean, who tries to spoof the system with a photo of Kurt Cobain? 
. But seriously, this is a huge problem and they need to fix it ASAP 
.
. 36.5% user engagement? That's like, a disaster 
. They need to listen to their users and make some serious changes. I'm not sure how they expect to keep predators out while also keeping users engaged 
. They can't just say "we're not done yet" and expect everything to be okay 
.
the facial age estimation feature is literally broken how can u trust that something so complex is gonna get it rite?? its like u cant keep a good kid down lol but seriously this is so not good for the site's rep... devs are right to be furious and demanding a fix ASAP 
i hope roblox gets its act together soon 
, i mean what's next gonna be an app that tries to guess how old your brain cells are or something? lol no seriously though, roblox needs to step up their game here. 16 and 17 year olds shouldn't be getting classified as adults, that's just not right 
. and come on, who uses kurt cobain pics to get fake adult classifications? kids these days are just too clever for me 
. this whole thing just smells of a big mess and roblox needs to fix it ASAP 
. can't wait to see what they do next 
. At least the devs are speaking out and calling for a change, but honestly, how long can they keep this up before users just lose interest? The whole thing is just kinda frustrating 
i cant even believe the age verification system on roblox is so messed up 
but seriously, this is a huge problem and needs to be fixed ASAP 
developers on the platform are totally right to be frustrated and calling for its reversal 
roblox needs to take responsibility for this mess and come up with a better solution stat 
. I'm surprised they haven't just rolled back the update already. And what's with the CEO saying "we're not done yet"? Like, yeah, no kidding 
. It takes more than a week to realize something isn't working? Get it together, Roblox! 
. They implemented this system to tackle predators, but it's ended up doing the opposite – giving a free pass for kids to prank around 
. The CEO is all like "we're not done yet" but honestly, that's just a cop-out 
.
. And don't even get me started on the kids using avatar images to spoof the system... like, what's next? 
. I want my kid to be able to play safely online without having to worry about predators or annoying parents 
.
. Roblox needs to take responsibility for their mistakes and come up with a more robust solution - not just rely on fancy tech fixes 
. Until then, user engagement is going to keep plummeting, and the platform's reputation will suffer as a result 
. It's time for some serious overhauls and accountability 
And now that people are finding ways to spoof the system, I'm worried they're actually making things worse 
. Roblox needs to go back to the drawing board and come up with a better solution, stat! 
. The CEO is all "we're not done yet" but honestly, what have they been doing over the past year that was different? 
I mean, what's the point of having a platform that can't accurately verify users' ages? It's like they're just throwing good faith out the window.
?
but it feels like you've just poked the beehive with this one 
. The whole point of having a robust age verification system is to keep kids safe, not push them further into hiding behind avatars 
.
. it's all about finding that balance between keeping predators at bay and not alienating users. fingers crossed they get it together soon