Roblox: Communication and Online Gaming

SAFETY TIP OF THE WEEK

Talk to your kids about what games they’re using online; these platforms can be more dangerous than they seem.

TODAY’S TOPIC

Roblox: Communication and Online Gaming

You may remember a time when video games came as cartridges or discs that you played on a gaming console, like Nintendo or PlayStation. Games from Mario Party to 007 Goldeneye could be played solo or with friends and family that were present in the room with you. Now with the incredible advancements of gaming systems in the past decade, gamers can connect to anyone in the world with the right console. This may seem like a perfectly safe process: your child logs into the game, connects to another player, completes the game, then logs off when it's time for dinner. However, some gaming systems have communication features that can leave your children vulnerable to bullying, harassment, and exploitation. 

A recent study found that Roblox, a kid-friendly online gaming platform by all appearances, can connect child players to adult content and bad actors on the site. Because much of the gaming experience on Roblox is created by players in the game, Roblox does not have strict or effective measures to enforce a safe virtual space. In some cases, children have been exposed to traumatizing images created by bad actors. In other cases, children have been persuaded to share sexually explicit images of themselves to strangers on the platform, who then use those images to blackmail and extort them. Recently Roblox and Discord, another popular gaming tool, were sued for facilitating child exploitation with their platforms. The owners of Roblox and Discord have said that they are working on finding a solution for this problem, but they can’t make much progress without collaboration with lawmakers and other companies. 

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

It’s important to have and encourage open dialogue with your children about these gaming sites. Remember, Roblox is not the root of all evil, it is simply a playful space many children want to occupy. But just as you might tell your child to beware of strangers at the park, you should let them know that there are bad actors and manipulators in the virtual space too. Their best safeguard is to avoid communicating or sharing any information with players they do not know, and they should certainly not engage with unfamiliar players on other messaging applications outside of the game space. 

The Family Online Safety Institute has lots of useful tips for monitoring and limiting your children’s use of the Internet. When it comes to online gaming safety, here are a few of there most useful tips:

• Talk with Your Kids—Kids crave connections, and video games can be a low-stakes way for them to meet new people while exploring a more authentic version of themselves. Let your children know that they are safe to express themselves with you.

• Educate Yourself—It’s good to know what games your children are playing. Even if they think it’s a little cringey to talk about it all the time, taking an interest in what they are playing validates their experience and it helps you have more honest conversations with your kids.

• Use Parental Controls—Though Roblox and Discord don’t have foolproof parental controls, they can help you manage some of the content your child engages with on their platforms. 

• Play with Your Kids—Video games may not be your favorite pastime, but engaging with your children on these platforms can help reinforce your rules on the platform while inviting your kids to have honest conversations with you about their experience on the game.

▶ Slang Word of the Week: “Finsta” - Someone’s fake Instagram account. It is usually shared with a smaller group of friends. It may be used to post content that a person would not want to be displayed on their “real” Instagram page.