Roblox Condemns Threats, Defends Age‑Verified Chat as Protests Spread

Overview

• Roblox’s global policy, implemented on January 7, requires age verification to use text and voice chat and places accounts into cohorts that limit who can communicate by age.
• Chat is off by default for users under 9 unless a parent authorizes it, and adults are blocked from chatting with children, with additional restrictions across six defined age brackets.
• Large in‑game demonstrations using virtual signs erupted this week and quickly migrated as memes to platforms such as X and TikTok.
• Influencer Felca reported receiving abusive messages and death threats after being wrongly blamed by players, despite having no role in Roblox’s decision.
• Roblox issued a statement condemning threats, urging respectful conduct, and reiterating that the measures aim to protect younger users, noting facial images used for verification are deleted after analysis and that results can be contested; coverage situates the move within ongoing legal and policy pressure including Brazil’s 2025 child‑safety law.