Roblox Facilitates Children Communicating with Anyone, Anywhere - On and Off the Game

Recently, my almost four year old son met another child during a high school soccer game we were attending. The approximately five year old child had an old phone and was playing a game - can you guess which one? I watched carefully as he handed my son the phone, allowing him a turn to play. I left my seat to supervise and began to discuss the game with both of them.

"Tell me about Roblox" I asked the other child. He responded by telling me what happens to his characters sometimes in a playful manner and shared silly situations.

I then said, "tell me about talking to people on Roblox." He let me know that he does that.

I followed up asking "do you talk to people on Roblox that you know in real life?" He answered that he did. So of course the next question was, "do you talk to people on Roblox you don't know in real life?"

His answer - "yeah, sometimes...."

I thanked him for telling me and shortly after found his mother and we discussed what her son shared and some ways to mitigate risk on Roblox and ensure her son wasn't using chat features within the game.

This doesn't sound incredibly frightening or dangerous, but what really happens when children are able to speak directly and privately to someone else that's using the application?

Consider - what's worse - a child having online, private, and continuous chat access to people they do or don't know in real life?

Let's discuss inappropriate and risky communication within Roblox.

It's Not Just Stranger Danger

It's helpful to understand the dynamics of who commits online abuse towards children.

Around 60% of online crimes against children are committed by someone that is known to the child - whether a peer or an adult known to the family. So, assuming that if we only let our children speak online with their friends or known individuals, it's not necessarily reducing the risk of harm for our children.

The Nature of Inappropriate Communication

In Part 2 of our Roblox Blog Series, we addressed violent or aggressive communication that children can experience, perpetrate, or witness while playing the game.

However, other forms of inappropriate communication could be harassment, explicit, vulgar or sexual language or content, and conversational grooming.

Again, referring back to a Part 2 blog point, parents must recognize that a child has the opportunity to be a victim, perpetrator, bystander, or upstander in risky and inappropriate communication on the application.

While Roblox has measures to moderate content, these efforts do not always catch or prevent exposure. For example, players may encounter rude comments, hostile language, or inappropriate advances under the guise of playful banter. The anonymity provided online can embolden users to act in ways they likely would not in real life, increasing the chance of harmful exchanges or victimization.

This very recent arrest shines a massive light on the dark reality of how Roblox chat capabilities facilitate in the sexual victimization of children.

Unpredictable Encounters

Depending on the settings for your child's game, anyone within the game they're playing could come up to them and make a comment or strike up a conversation. Some remarks could be harmless, while others are wildly suggestive, violent, or derogatory. An avatar could approach your child's avatar and start a conversation off with normal greetings, then become progressively concerning, or the avatar could abruptly type something inappropriate, possibly making the child feel trapped, confused, or ashamed about the encounter. Either disabling this feature or preparing your child to seek help or take steps to report the situation are invaluable to reducing risk.

Conversations that Begin but Don't End on Roblox

There is unfortunately another layer of concern that comes with children having chat capabilities on Roblox. If a child is allowed to communicate with others on Roblox, the filtering options, parental controls, and other preventative steps the game allows do not completely prevent risk. Some children find themselves entangled in a progression of communication, where a user will essentially lure a child from a Roblox chat to other platforms. Think: Discord, social media instant messaging, email, text messages, encrypted messaging apps, and any other chat platform with less barriers or intervention. Although Roblox has the ability to deny messages with phone numbers, links, or invitations to move the conversation elsewhere, there are plenty of ways to circumvent this.

This very recent arrest could've turned fatal, and shows the dangers of how conversations starting on Roblox can be easily moved to another application so secrecy and risk can flourish.

Identifying Warning Signs

Parents - you should keep an eye out for warning signs that may indicate your child is experiencing or had a negative experience online. Sudden changes in behavior, such as becoming withdrawn, expressing fears about online interactions, or showing reluctance to play or an obsession with playing can be red flags. Open communication is key. Regularly checking in about your child's gaming experiences without the purpose of discipline can help them feel safe sharing their challenges. Consider that you're presence in their communication and gameplay is what could keep them protected as you teach them safe and unsafe communication with others.

The Role of Parental Guidance & Involvement

Parental involvement is vital in helping children navigate online interactions. Here are a few ways to provide effective guidance:

• Set clear expectations around online behavior and discuss what communication is acceptable. Clearly communicate what behavior is prohibited in communicating online such as: never sharing personal information or using explicit, hurtful or sexual language, moving a chat to a different platform, or making plans to meet someone in person.

• Explore potential dangers together, fostering awareness. Play Roblox with your child or watch the youtube videos/content creators they are interested in to see what they are experiencing and consuming.

• Encourage children to use reporting mechanisms offered by Roblox, instilling a sense of responsibility when it comes to online communication.

  
  

Utilizing Roblox's Safety Features

Roblox provides several safety features designed to protect its users. These include:

• Chat filters that aim to block inappropriate language.

• Options to block users or limit who can communicate with them.

• Turn off chat capabilities to remove the risk.

• Allow for play without internet connection so children can only play in their creations.

  
  

By familiarizing yourself with these tools, parents can reduce children's exposure to harmful interactions. Adjusting account settings to restrict communication can create a safer gaming environment.

Educating Children About Online Etiquette

Children and adults are susceptible to behave inappropriately online considering what we know about the Online Disinhibition Effect. Education is essential for reducing risks tied to communication on Roblox. Teach children the importance of treating others with respect and the potential consequences of negative behavior. Encourage empathy and kindness, both online and offline. For instance, discussing real-life scenarios can help children understand the impact of their words, fostering a more positive gaming environment.

Why Children Don't Tell

There will be times children have an adverse experience, both in person and online, and they don't disclose what they experienced. Children specifically won't tell about something they witnessed or experienced online in fear they will lose their access to what they enjoy - and in this case, playing Roblox or connecting with others within the game. Consider laying ground rules with behaviors from them or someone else that would warrant losing access to the game. There could be options for children to keep playing the game without internet and chat options to significantly reduce risk while still enjoying the purpose of Roblox.

Final Thoughts

While Roblox offers an engaging experience for children, communication issues within the platform deserve attention. Parents can mitigate potential threats to their children's emotional well-being by maintaining open discussions, understanding safety features, and educating them on respectful communication.

If you'd like to know our position on the matter, Prevention Starts with Parents simply can't recommend that you allow chat features to be enabled for your child. The risk simply will never outweigh the benefit of online connection that some parents advocate for with their children.

However, if you choose to allow this access, work together with your child to create a safe online atmosphere. Ensure that gaming remains a joyful and enriching experience for children through play, rather than online connection. In an era where online interactions are so common and expected, it is essential for parents to guide children through potential situations, providing them with the tools to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly.