Roblox rolls out ‘facial scanning’ for users under 16 to comply with Indonesia’s new laws

Roblox has taken significant steps to comply with Indonesia’s new social media restrictions for players under 16, following an announcement by the country’s communications minister on Thursday.

The primary motive behind this update is to implement facial-scan age verification for all Roblox users in Indonesia under the age of 16. This verification is required because the platform will automatically deactivate chat features for unverified accounts.

The platform is also introducing screen time controls for parents to monitor and limit their children’s usage. 

Users under the age of 16 must undergo facial scanning to verify their age; if they fail this process, their chat features will be automatically disabled. 

Furthermore, Roblox is restructuring how younger users interact by moving 23 million accounts into new categories. For instance, Roblox Kids’ (ages 5-13) will have no chat features entirely disabled to ensure maximum safety.

Users in the age 13-15 tier will be allowed to chat, though it will be strictly limited to verified family and friends. Roblox will automatically transition all 23 million users under 16 into these specialized accounts. 

These steps are a direct response to Indonesia’s classification of certain social media and gaming platforms as high-risk, requiring them to deactivate or strictly limit accounts for minors. 

Regarding these changes, Nicky Jackson stated these are “amongst the strictest protections” the company offers anywhere in the world. 

This follows Indonesian guidelines requiring social media companies with platforms deemed high-risk to deactivate accounts belonging to children under 16.