Parents' Guide to

Roblox

By Erin Brereton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Chance to design games, but also potential for iffy content.

Website http://www.roblox.com
Roblox Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this website.

reported that she has seen characters "rape" other characters, and videos of avatar sexual assaults occurring on the site can be found on YouTube. Sexual acts aren't visually shown, but surrounding dialogue and images of characters being held against their will are reminiscent of this violent abuse.</p> ">
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Community Reviews

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age 10+

Based on 2106 parent reviews

momof32022
momof32022 Parent of 13-year-old
March 6, 2022
age 16+

Parents be Careful

Don't make the same mistake I did. This is not a good game for kids, preteens. While there is alot of " innocent" games and conversations going on ...but on the flip side alot of adult content , sexting , pressing to "date", drama, gossip . My teen got involved in a Discord app with people she met in Roblox. It's not good. I was stunned with the conversations I found. Parents please be careful.
Erik Molotov
Erik Molotov Adult
April 7, 2022
age 8+

Great game for all ages

Definitely a good game. It’s educational in a subtle way, it’s engaging and entertaining. Even adults play it. There is a whole world of games for kids to explore. However, some games are a tad violent. Certain games may also include blood. But overall, a little bit of cartoon violence or blood never hurt a child. Parents should also keep in mind that this is an online platform. Make it clear to your children to never give personal information to ANYONE on the internet such as your real name, phone number, where you live or where you go to school. Besides that, it’s fine for kids to socialize on the internet. But be aware that there are some players that will often T-bag or call other players “Trash” or “Noob” The chat filter is pretty reliable and if someone is ever picking on you, you can just block and report them. Overall, very fun and engaging game.
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What’s It About?

ROBLOX provides design elements to help budding game creators make and contribute games and activities. Most are free to play once you register and download an installer, and there are plenty to check out. Users can also chat with and friend each other, join groups, and post on message boards. The games can be inconsistent -- novice developers make them, so quality can vary -- and younger kids may find some a bit scary. Safety features allow parents to limit some of kids' chat and other features by changing their account settings.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2106 ):
Kids say (5007 ):

This creativity-based website features a never-ending (and continually evolving) supply of creative, fun challenges to explore -- that's the beauty of offering designs from thousands of budding developers. A number of Roblox's user-contributed items, which range from simple obstacle course games to virtual cities, offer an exciting, amusing, and inspiring experience. In addition to checking out available games, kids can also flex their imagination via a design tool that lets them fashion their own games and environments. Unfortunately, though, because many contributors are amateur designers, kids may come across rendering problems, on-screen flicker, and some extremely frustrating gameplay, particularly when navigating mazes or jumping. Users can also potentially encounter inappropriate chat and other content. A number have reported problematic interactions with strangers, and there are lots of examples of violent and overtly sexual content and predatory behavior that have been documented in news sources.

Roblox gets high marks for encouraging exploration, interaction, and, above all, huge amounts of creativity in its users. Kids can theoretically begin as player/explorers and evolve into experienced users and developers. In addition, popular titles could potentially result in young designers making some cash off their inventions. Just be aware that some games they play may be violent, depending on what a creator has placed into a particular experience. And although the site says it proactively filters inappropriate content, a fairly well-publicized 2018 incident in which a user said her 7-year-old daughter's avatar was "gang-raped" on a playground -- along with the fact that Roblox "rape scenes" can be found on YouTube -- suggests some extremely iffy stuff may make it through. Parents may also want to check chat programs that their kids are using to communicate with other players in Roblox games. Other reported incidents have involved players using personally created Discord servers to direct Roblox users to "condo games," where inappropriate sexual content, language, and potential grooming by predators may take place. Parents will likely want to supervise their child's site use to make sure they're viewing only safe content and not interacting with strangers.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about interacting with others in Roblox while pursuing their own goals. Could watching other players try a course of action and letting them show you the best path to choose be at all helpful? What could kids learn from observing other people play?

  • What potential dangers can occur when you interact with strangers online? What kind of information should you never give out about yourself to someone you don't know? Talk to your kids about protecting their privacy online.

  • If kids happen to see something iffy or upsetting online, how should they react? Discuss potential reactions, such as telling a parent or trusted adult.

Website Details

  • Subjects: Language & Reading : following directions, presenting to others, Arts : drawing, playing
  • Skills: Creativity : combining knowledge, imagination, Self-Direction : goal-setting, set objectives, work to achieve goals, Communication : asking questions, multiple forms of expression, Tech Skills : digital creation, using and applying technology
  • Genre: Gaming
  • Pricing structure: Paid, Free
  • Last updated: May 26, 2021

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