Roblox CEO Suggests Parental Control Solution for Kids’ Usage

Parents expressing concern over the nature of their children’s engagements within the vast selection of games offered on Roblox might find themselves taken aback by CEO and co-founder Dave Baszucki’s advice. His counsel is not only straightforward, but it also contradicts what one would typically anticipate a business leader to say about their product.

In line with a BBC report, when Baszucki was quizzed on the unease of parents towards their children’s presence on Roblox, his response was, “My initial suggestion would be, if it’s not comfortable for you, prevent your kids from accessing Roblox.”

He further expounded that this viewpoint might seem “unconventional,” but parents should always be trusted to make the best decisions. His sentiment isn’t untrue. If parents harbor concerns about the safety of their child on a platform, it might be best to keep them off it. However, enforcing this becomes challenging when each minor owns separate devices and aren’t constantly under the direct supervision of their parents. Some interpreted his message as a tad dismissive, even a slight attempt at evasion.

On the brighter side, the game does provide parental control features, which the company has consistently fortified in response to relentless criticism. Yet, anyone actively involved in gaming or frequently online can attest to this, if individuals wish to act inappropriately, they always find a way around the barriers set in place by the developers.

The BBC put this hypothesis to the test by setting up two anonymous accounts, one corresponding to an adult and the other a minor. They tested out the filters and found that while direct solicitations to the minor account to switch platforms were detected, bypassing the security measures was relatively simple through some creative rephrasing. The BBC shared these results and their additional findings, such as improper game suggestions for underage accounts, with Baszucki. His feedback was that the test reaffirmed the platform’s safety, demonstrating that malicious acts required users to switch platforms. In terms of the games, he reiterated his confidence in the age rating systems. The comprehensive report is available on the BBC site.