Intended for parental control, the descriptor will apply to vaccination policies, gun control, marriage quality, reproductive rights, and others.
Roblox has introduced a parental control descriptor for games and "experiences" (Roblox Corporation's catch-all phrase to describe player-made environments on Roblox) identified as primarily themed on sensitive issues, based on the criteria that they evoke "polarized viewpoints" and "strong emotional response" from players.
Announced this week, the update is for the maturity and compliance questionnaire. Starting August 11, experiences that get the "Sensitive Issues" label will receive the descriptor on their details page and will be unavailable by default for users under the age of 13, although parents of older teens can choose to enable access if they wish.
The issues, according to the company, involve "current sensitive social, political, and religious" themes. As per the announcement, the descriptor is "not meant to take a stance on any specific issue," and Roblox anticipates "very few experiences will receive this label."
Said experiences must also meet both the "polarized viewpoints" and "strong emotional response" criteria. The first involves whether the issue has a "limited number of strongly opposing viewpoints with little room for compromise or middle ground," while the second relates to whether or not the issue evokes strong reactions and/or "passionate debate" from players.
"For example, issues such as immigration, capital punishment, gun control, marriage equality, pay equity in sports, prayer in schools, racial profiling, affirmative action, vaccination policies, and reproductive rights qualify as 'sensitive issues,'" reads the announcement. "Please note that this is not a comprehensive or finite list – any issue that meets the above criteria qualifies as a 'sensitive issue.' These issues are topics that are frequently in the news and inspire strong opinions and emotional debate."
In a more specific example, the company said that an experience with a core gameplay loop focusing on immigration or border security would qualify, but one that simply includes references to countries and borders would not. Both experiences in this example would still be covered by Roblox's content maturity guidelines.
Roblox said that experiences that fall under the descriptor will not be suspended or removed from the platform, and instances where consequences would apply are for creators who repeatedly provide inaccurate information in the questionnaire.
'This change is not a response to any specific regulatory requirement or governmental request'
The company added that it understands that identifying sensitive issues can be complex and varies greatly by region. As such, if Roblox's moderation teams find experiences that haven't accurately disclosed sensitive issues via the questionnaire, they'll reach out to the creator to correct the answers.
"We know that adapting to new guidelines can take time, and our goal is always to equip parents with the best tools to manage their children’s experiences while still allowing creators to innovate and express themselves," the announcement reads.
In the FAQ section, Roblox says that "this change is not a response to any specific regulatory requirement or governmental request." While the company recognizes that topics like social, political, and religious issues can be handled "in a way that is developmentally appropriate," it can't always guarantee the case due to the amount of user-generated content hosted in Roblox.
In recent times, some Roblox experiences have allowed people to attend virtual protests. In 2023, as reported by CNBC, users took part in pro-Palestinian protests, with one of them being visited more than 275,000 times. It's likely that the audience was in the younger demographic—according to Roblox data from December 2022, about 45 percent of users on the platform are 12 years old or younger, while 60 percent are 16 or younger.
In June, Rolling Stone reported on Roblox experiences featuring protests against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the United States. As first reported by User Mag, the protests were a response to some players pretending to be ICE agents and harassing others in-game. During the protests, users reportedly ran a series of organized protests filled with Mexican flags and signs against President Donald Trump.
Speaking to Rolling Stone, Nediahn Santos, a mother who joined protests because his son wanted to protest, said that "as a parent, I believe it’s important to be honest and open about what’s happening in our country because these issues affect not just us, but our friends, our neighbors, and our entire community." Roblox PR told the publication that the company "can't support a comment request" at the time.
In the FAQ about the descriptor, Roblox said the company's Community Standards still apply to all content, which includes prohibiting discrimination, and any content that promotes abuse or harm against people "due to their membership in a protected category group."
In response to why Roblox is blocking experiences with the new descriptor for users under 13 by default, the company said that "just as parents and guardians navigate sensitive conversations offline, we believe they are the best guides for their children online," instead "empowering parents to make an informed choice to enable them when they feel it’s appropriate."