this post was submitted on 18 Nov 2025

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289

Roblox begins asking tens of millions of children to verify their age with a selfie (www.engadget.com)

submitted 2 days ago by alessandro@lemmy.ca to c/pcgaming@lemmy.ca

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[–] yardratianSoma@lemmy.ca 1 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago)

welp, I caved and started letting my kid play roblox, where I would check in every now and then to make sure they weren't chatting and just playing games.

But I might just roll back on this, and let other parents know what's up too. Some parents are completely out of the loop with anything tech related, even in this day and age.

[–] a4ng3l@lemmy.world 55 points 2 days ago

How nice to ask kids who cannot consent to share pictures with that company…

[–] rumba@lemmy.zip 98 points 2 days ago (3 children)

I'd be far happier if they just shut down chat under 18. The pedos will find a way to get through otherwise.

[–] atthecoast@feddit.nl 31 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Parents can turn off chat in the parental controls. Then I found my daughter chatting using the handheld “protest signs” in game that have customizable text…

[–] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

It's a losing battle, but it shows your child is clever and adaptable. You're training them well.

[–] lime@feddit.nu 39 points 2 days ago (3 children)

...and how do you verify that chatters are over 18?

[–] cassandrafatigue@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Ask for verification only to enable chat. So at least in theory it's only adults.

Or, you know; don't.

[–] lime@feddit.nu 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

i mean, to matter which way you go you'll have created a database of people's real identities. which is a problem.

[–] cassandrafatigue@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Yeah but at least it wouldn't be mostly children.

[–] lime@feddit.nu 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

did you bypass verification prompts as a child? so will they.

[–] cassandrafatigue@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Yes, and Ana von mcfakenamesdottir the third, born jan1 1900 will be in the database forever.

[–] lime@feddit.nu 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

hah.

personally i think a big part of the problem is that real-name identification for things that shouldn't need it is just sort of accepted, rather than being criticised as the massive invasion of privacy that it is. whether it includes children or not is a side note in my mind.

[–] cassandrafatigue@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Oh absolutely, and we should go back to 1990s anonymity

But here we are. Everything has an endoscope.

[–] lime@feddit.nu 3 points 2 days ago (15 children)

well, we're here. but the companies and governments pushing this are already looking at possible next steps, like building systems where your real identity is used everywhere.

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[–] Valmond@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Just send one (1) child picture.

[–] rumba@lemmy.zip 5 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

While I don't love age verification, taking 3d webcam scans from adults won't create a catalog of kids.

edit: and to clarify, IDGAF about chat ID verifications for almost all sites, but Roblox is marketed explicitly toward and occupied by children.

[–] IronBird@lemmy.world 25 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

no amount of age verification/id controls is stopping bad parents from failing their kids, it's a pointless waste of time which ultimately opens up these kids/people to being even more vulnerable when somebody hacks their database.

if you run a business that provides some digital entertainment service to children, and facilitates their communication while using it...the only way your stopping groomers (or just generally keeping it from turning into a cesspool) is by actually paying people to moderate the chat rooms, simple as that

and, atleast in an unregulated shithole like the US...the only way they'll do that is if they end up being held liable under some class action lawsuit

small communities like this are work because the population using it is still relatively small

[–] lime@feddit.nu 6 points 2 days ago (3 children)

either way you're creating a database of people's faces. it's gonna be handled by a third party no matter what so whether you're above or below the cutoff is just a flag.

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[–] joyjoy@lemmy.zip 6 points 2 days ago

I would be willing to verify my age if it meant I didn't have to play with children.

[–] C1pher@lemmy.world 39 points 2 days ago

Pedo app asking for pictures of children. Ban Roblox already, Jesus Crist.

[–] SCmSTR@lemmy.blahaj.zone 17 points 2 days ago

What could go wrong

[–] hayvan@feddit.nl 12 points 2 days ago

Sounds like a great plan to me. I see no way this could go wrong.

[–] tidderuuf@lemmy.world 62 points 2 days ago

... to access chat features.

I'm going to go ahead and click 'No'

[–] Zephorah@discuss.online 41 points 2 days ago

Getting an early start on cataloging with facial recognition.

[–] DebatableRaccoon@lemmy.ca 47 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

No? Still no flags popping up? Bells ringing? Alright, I'm sure this is fine too. It's ~~keeping an eye on~~ protecting the kids at least.

[–] NoForwardslashS@sopuli.xyz 10 points 2 days ago (1 children)

But we obviously can't protect the kids if we don't know who they are and therefore must have a database of all their faces.

[–] DebatableRaccoon@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 days ago

Yeah, I'm sure that couldn't possibly exist for ulterior motives. Bunch of fucking creeps.

[–] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago

I'm disappointed this wasn't the onion when I had to check.

[–] pyria@kbin.melroy.org 37 points 2 days ago

Oh yeah after it's been verified that Roblox is operated by a few pedos? Yeah this will go over wonderfully...

[–] caboose2006@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

What could possibly go wrong?

[–] einlander@lemmy.world 33 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Looks like they are building a menu...

[–] KelvarCherry@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 2 days ago

Release the Roblox Files!

[–] Gork@sopuli.xyz 20 points 2 days ago (2 children)

How will it combat AI generated profile pictures? They're literally everywhere now, I'm seeing them in brainrot mobile games even.

[–] real_squids@sopuli.xyz 12 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Probably with a different AI that's trained to spot that. Realistically, they won't.

[–] ThunderComplex@lemmy.today 2 points 2 days ago

Well it’ll improve the AI profile pics to the point that you won’t recognize it’s AI. Can’t be mad at AI images if you don’t recognize 'em

[–] Sunsofold@lemmings.world 4 points 2 days ago

There are too many people on the internet, let alone children.

[–] Worx@lemmynsfw.com 6 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Yum yum, get those kiddy pics!

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