Roblox
As a number of children are playing Roblox on devices at home, we are providing information to help you keep children safe online.
Roblox is a huge collection of different games made by a range of creators using the platform’s built-in tools. Pretty much anyone with the knowledge of how to do so can create a game on Roblox. Players choose a game and then go online with up to 100 other people at a time.
What do parents needs to be aware of?
In-game purchases
In-game purchases are available, but these are optional. You can limit spending on Roblox via the settings on your device. Children can feel a lot of pressure to spend money on Roblox, either from their peers, professional streamers or the games themselves. If you're worried about this pressure, it's a good idea to check in with them about how they are feeling.
In-game chat
Roblox uses an in-game text-chat. This content is monitored to ensure no personal details or inappropriate language is used, making it a good way for your child to get used to the concept of public chats, but in a relatively safe space.
There is a risk that children could be encouraged to chat with players outside of this moderated chat; this could put them in danger, as other platforms may not have the same level of moderation.
Parental controls
The most important setting in terms of content is the Account Restrictions option. With this enabled, children will only be able to play games curated by Roblox themselves, rather than independent users.
Although Roblox is PEGI 7+, the user-created content falls outside this rating and may contain elements that are only suitable for older children. Setting the restricted option prevents any unchecked games being played.
The privacy settings enable you to specify how the player interacts with other people they don’t know, such as who they can message and who can contact them. It can also be used to restrict access to private games. You can report and block individual players. Be mindful that reporting someone doesn’t automatically suspend their account; an administrator will need to review the report and come to a decision.
For more information, please visit ParentZone.org.uk
If you would like any assistance in reviewing your device settings, please make an appointment with Mrs Townsend.
Understanding on-line safety
In order for you to keep your children safe online, it is important for you to know what materials, games and apps they are accessing. If you are unsure of suitability, age-rating or content of a game/app, we suggest you enter the name of it into the following website. It will provide you with the latest information available in order to be able to make a reasonable judgement of it's appropriateness
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/
If you would like assistance or guidance in setting up parental controls on devices, please speak to Mrs Townsend. We want to help safeguard and keep your child/ren safe online.