We Asked Roblox’s C.E.O. About Child Safety. It Got Tense.
Hard Fork
Nov 21
We Asked Roblox’s C.E.O. About Child Safety. It Got Tense.
We Asked Roblox’s C.E.O. About Child Safety. It Got Tense.

Hard Fork
Nov 21
Roblox has become a dominant digital space for young users, drawing millions into its immersive world of games and social interaction. As its influence grows, so do concerns about the safety of its youngest participants. In a candid conversation, CEO David Baszucki addresses the mounting scrutiny over how the platform protects children from online predators and what changes are being made to safeguard their experience.
With over 150 million daily users—many under 13—Roblox faces intense pressure to prevent predatory behavior facilitated by chat and virtual economies. The company has responded with AI-driven age verification, advanced text filtering, and tighter controls on adult-minor interactions. While past policies allowed unrestricted communication, Roblox now employs real-time moderation and layered authentication to detect and deter abuse. Despite improvements, challenges remain in preventing circumvention at scale. The platform is also rethinking its responsibilities as both a game and social space, balancing safety with the developmental benefits of online connection. Amid lawsuits and public concern, leadership emphasizes transparency, parental empowerment, and ongoing innovation in safety systems. The discussion even explores futuristic ideas like educational prediction markets, though questions linger about whether such features belong in a youth-focused environment.
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Multiple signals in combination make age verification more reliable than relying on one method alone.
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Roblox is not a haven for predators; we're innovating to stay ahead of abuse.
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Roblox has been proactive about safety since its early days.
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