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Roblox has issued a warning in response to the UK banning one of its key features for under-16s.
On Monday (15 June), Sir Kier Starmer introduced new regulations that would ban under-16s on social media platforms including Meta, Snapchat and TikTok. However, other apps like WhatsApp and Signal found a technical loophole by classifying themselves as messaging services rather than social media feeds.
Under new restrictions, under-16s will be blocked from downloading social media apps and from livestreaming themselves online. Under-18s face separate restrictions on romantic AI chatbots and Apple and Google have been given three months to implement account-based age verification across children's devices.
The rules also affect gaming platforms, specifically the ability to chat with strangers in online lobbies.
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However, since then, tech giants have fired back, saying the 'blanket ban' could drive young users to darker 'unregulated alternatives' that lack protections and parental controls.
Now, one of the world's most popular gaming platforms with over 150 million daily active players has spoken out.
Speaking to Sky News, Roblox's chief safety officer Matt Kaufman said: "We caution about going overboard with outright bans."
He explained: "We think that platforms like ours play an incredibly important role in kids' lives. That doesn't mean we don't want to collaborate with policymakers.
"We do want to engage with policymakers, and we don't want to find what's right for our kids and teens."
Roblox has long faced scrutiny over how easily children can be paired with strangers on its platform. Rather than opposing the changes, the company has announced its own age-based account system to limit the content children can access.
Under the new structure, children aged five to eight will be placed into Roblox Kids accounts, which disable all messaging and chat functions by default and restrict access to games rated 'minimal' or 'mild' for content maturity.
Users aged 9 to 15 will be placed in Roblox Select accounts, which gradually introduce more communication features and allow access to games with a 'moderate' content maturity rating. Meanwhile, users aged 16 and over will have access to the full range of games and chat functionality the platform offers.
Not everyone is approaching the legislation with the same willingness to engage though. Elon Musk used his platform X to deliver his blunt verdict, framing the UK's social media ban beyond child protection.
“This censorship law is a wolf in sheep’s clothing," he wrote. "The real goal is to enable the UK government to track everyone. Censorship always comes with a ‘protect the children’ lie”.
