Child Safety Online

Extracted Attributes

• Arrests (US)

  At least 30 arrests since 2018 for child abduction or sexual abuse linked to grooming on Roblox

• Global Initiative

  Child Online Protection (COP) Initiative launched by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• Key Legal Framework (US)

  Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act

• Primary Demographic (Roblox)

  40% of players are under 13 years old

• Moderation Workforce (Roblox)

  Approximately 3,000 moderators

Timeline

• Beginning of the period during which at least 30 people were arrested in the United States for abducting or sexually abusing children groomed on Roblox. (Source: Wikipedia: Child safety on Roblox)

  2018-01-01

• Roblox Corporation stated that half of all American children were using its platform. (Source: Wikipedia: Child safety on Roblox)

  2020-01-01

• Roblox restricted 'social hangout' games to players over 13 and implemented automatic blocking of direct messages for users under 13. (Source: Wikipedia: Child safety on Roblox)

  2024-01-01

• US Senate hearing on Child Safety Online where Mark Zuckerberg was questioned by Senator Josh Hawley regarding platform safety and Section 230. (Source: Document 3f435d8e-7f67-4be0-a2d8-51c7c89a9071)

  2024-01-31

• Roblox restricted social hangout games featuring private locations like bedrooms and bathrooms to users aged 17 and above. (Source: Wikipedia: Child safety on Roblox)

  2025-01-01

• Roblox Corporation faced several lawsuits in the United States for alleged failures to protect children. (Source: Wikipedia: Child safety on Roblox)

  2025-08-01

• The U.S. Department of Justice updated its resources and guidelines for keeping children safe online. (Source: Web Search: Keeping Children Safe Online - Department of Justice)

  2025-09-12

Child safety on Roblox

The safety of children on Roblox, a multiplayer game platform managed by the American company Roblox Corporation, has been the subject of much debate and controversy. Concerns include exposure to sexual content, sexual predation, political extremism, and financial exploitation, which have led to some countries banning the platform. As of August 2025, the corporation is facing several lawsuits in the United States for alleged failures to protect children. Around 40% of Roblox players are under 13 years old, and Roblox Corporation stated in 2020 that half of all American children used the platform. Child exploitation groups such as 764 and CVLT have operated on Roblox to groom children, and at least 30 people have been arrested since 2018 in the United States for abducting or sexually abusing children they had groomed on the platform. Some users have taken to online vigilantism to catch potential child predators; Roblox Corporation has faced significant controversy after taking legal action against some of these users. Additionally, Roblox has been criticized for its use of microtransactions, advergames, and brand ambassadors, as well as for the alleged financial exploitation of child game developers. Roblox Corporation has responded to some concerns by launching updates intended to boost child safety, and it employs about 3,000 moderators. In 2024, "social hangout" games were restricted to players over 13 years old, and the platform implemented parental controls automatically blocking direct messages to users under 13. The platform implemented a rehaul of its friend system with age verification through facial recognition or through a government-issued ID. Additionally, in 2025, social hangout games featuring private locations such as bedrooms and bathrooms were restricted to users aged 17 and above. Roblox also allows parents to disable in-app microtransactions and limit which games their children can play.

Web Search Results

• Child and Youth Safety Online - Welcome to the United Nations

  The Child Online Protection (COP) Initiative is a multi-stakeholder network launched by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to promote awareness of child safety in the online world and to develop practical tools to assist governments, industry and educators. The ITU Guidelines on Child Online Protection are a comprehensive set of recommendations for all relevant stakeholders on how to contribute to the development of a safe and empowering online environment for children and young [...] people. [...] trafficking, including through online safety awareness activities aimed at children and young people.

• Keeping children safe online | UNICEF

  UNICEF works to make the digital world a safer place for children to learn and express themselves. We partner with governments to advocate for necessary regulation, and with tech companies to promote responsible business conduct that improves children’s online safety. Forward-thinking regulations must promote innovation while ensuring that technologies, including AI systems, do not put children in harm’s way. [...] We also support government investments and community-led initiatives to teach children online safety skills. Our work with parents, caregivers and other professionals strengthens their own digital literacy, giving them the knowledge to help keep children safe from harm. [...] To help keep children safe from technology-facilitated and online sexual abuse, UNICEF works with governments using the WeProtect Model National Response framework as a guide for supporting coordinated national responses and strengthening the capacity of on-the-ground responders to provide services to victims.

• Keeping Children Safe Online - Department of Justice

  Discuss internet safety and develop an online safety planwith children before they engage in online activity. Establish clear guidelines, teach children to spot red flags, and encourage children to have open communication with you. Supervise young children’s use of the internet, including periodically checking their profiles and posts. Keep electronic devices in open, common areas of the home and consider setting time limits for their use. [...] Tell children to avoid sharing personal information, photos, and videos onlinein public forums or with people they do not know in real life. Explain to your children that images posted online will be permanently on the internet. Teach children about body safety and boundaries, including the importance of saying ‘no’ to inappropriate requests both in the physical world and the virtual world. [...] Additional Resources on Online Child Safety DHS Know2Protect FBI: Parents, Caregivers, and Teachers: Protecting Your Kids U.S. Secret Service Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program National Center for Missing and Exploited Children: Prevention Education and Professional Training Canadian Centre for Child Protection Australia eSafety Commissioner Updated September 12, 2025 Image 18: envelope icon U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division

• Internet Safety for Kids

  Read the Cyber­se­cu­ri­ty and Infra­struc­ture Secu­ri­ty Agen­cy’s tips for keep­ing chil­dren safe online ## Chil­dren’s Inter­net Safe­ty Web­sites and Tools Parental con­trols and fil­ters are one way that adults can help kids have healthy, safe and pos­i­tive expe­ri­ences online. These soft­ware tools allow adults to mon­i­tor, fil­ter and lim­it what a child sees and does on the internet. [...] Pro­mot­ing inter­net safe­ty for kids is more of a learn­ing jour­ney than a one-and-done les­son. Par­ents and care­givers should set clear bound­aries and expec­ta­tions for a young person’s activ­i­ties online. They should also reg­u­lar­ly check in with young users and seek to under­stand the sites, games and con­tacts that they are access­ing online. The list below shares inter­net safe­ty tips for kids and adults to keep in mind when play­ing, learn­ing and explor­ing online. [...] Adults have a pro­found and ongo­ing role to play in mak­ing the inter­net a safer, health­i­er and more pos­i­tive expe­ri­ence for the chil­dren in their lives. Active­ly mon­i­tor­ing a young per­son­’s online activ­i­ties is a great start. But par­ents and care­givers can do more, like:

• Online Safety (for Kids) | Nemours KidsHealth

  If you're a kid who likes to have fun and chat with friends online, here's how you can stay safe and avoid problems: Stick to safer sites. Your parents and teachers can guide you to the best sites for you. Some sites have age restrictions, so you might be tempted to lie about your age. It's safer to tell the truth and avoid those sites until you're older.