Is your child one of the 30-million Roblox players? This free app has taken the world by storm. It’s a popular platform because it offers lots of different games within the Roblox platform. The only problem is that while many games like this were usually played by teens and adults, Roblox is a huge hit with young children. As a dad, you’re probably asking yourself: is Roblox safe for kids? How do you do your part as a parent without sitting and watching their every move? Let’s take a closer look at how to keep kids safe on Roblox.
Is Roblox Safe for Kids?
That’s the question our friends asked us recently when they found out our son plays Roblox. Is it safe for kids? I think that depends on how involved you are as a parent in monitoring your child’s gaming.
We’ve only had one bad experience with Roblox when a user was trying to get other players to send him/her Robux and was saying “Don’t tell your parents.” He was talking (or trying to) in the general chat, and not a private message.
We simply clicked that user’s profile and blocked and reported the user. You can read more about blocking users on Roblox here. Roblox does have good filters in place to block phone numbers, addresses and more. Of course, users will try to find a way around them (by spelling out words using letters and numbers, for instance), but our son was great about letting us know when people in the game chat were trying to send those things. You’ll recognize content blocked by the filter because you’ll only see pound signs (####) in place of the word.
It was easier when our son was in preschool because he paid no mind to the chat within the game or to private messages. Now, however, he’s in Kindergarten, and he’s a reader. He loves learning new words and typing words and sentences that he knows into the game. We monitor private messages and chats much more closely now.
In addition to careful chat monitoring, here are a few more tips and precautions we recommend to keep your kids safe on Roblox:
Have the Internet Talk
Roblox is like a social media platform. You can message other members, and this can be scary for parents who want to protect their children. You may not like to think about how easily it is for a pedophile to use a game like this to contact your children. The sad truth is pedophiles know that there are kids out there that are vulnerable. You want to make sure your kids know to never share information with other members. Even if the member claims to be a friend from school, they should never give them personal information. You should encourage your children to only connect with friends from school who they know the online names of. Thankfully, Roblox does make this easier. Players under the age of 13 receive friend requests through the parent’s email address.
Keep the Password to Yourself
Our son’s account is set up through my wife’s email address. She monitors all friend requests, and she set the password for the account. Our son has no idea what the password is. He’s never asked. She simply uses a password manager, which automatically saves it, and changes it regularly.
This is helpful for two reasons. First, he can’t add money to his account or buy anything because he doesn’t know the password. You have to enter it manually for purchases. Second, he can’t give anyone else access to his account since he doesn’t know the password himself.
Play the Game
You want to know what your child’s doing online? Man up and play the game with him. Not only will you keep an eye on what’s happening in the game, but you’ll be bonding with your kid. If your kids are under the age of 13, they will be shown regulated content. If your kids are older, you will want to keep a close eye on what’s happening.
Shout out to my wife here because she plays the game with him since I know next to nothing about computer gaming myself. I play with him on the Xbox.
Setup a Gaming Area in the Living Room
A great way to keep watch over your child is to keep them close. Invest in a better computer for your living room than your kid has in his room. This way he is interested in playing the game in the family room. You’ll be able to watch everything he’s doing without appearing nosy.
Our son’s laptop is in the den at my wife’s desk (where she works every day) so she can keep an eye on him at all times. When we’re in the living room and he wants to play, he brings it in here.
Say No to Adding Money to the Game with Your Credit Card
Here’s the thing. Many online games get hacked and players lose a lot of money or have their credit cards stolen. Your kid may not be happy about not being able to buy game passes and add-ons at a whim, but keeping financial information secure is more important, especially when a child is the user.
If your child really wants the extras like the monthly membership (which we get for our son), get Roblox cards at your local Walmart, Game Stop, etc. They can safely use up their balance that way without you having to enter in your credit card information.
So, is Roblox safe? It can be as long as you teach your child about online safety AND do your part in monitoring his or her gaming activity. Teach your kid not to give out personal information and get involved by playing the game with him. The game is setup to keep younger children safer, but you still need to be aware of how your child is spending his time online.