Photograph: Jeff Gilbert/Alamy
Roblox has quickly become one of the most popular gaming platforms for children and teenagers across the UK. If your child is between 7 and 14, chances are they either play Roblox or know friends who do. At first glance, it seems harmless – kids design games, play with friends, and explore a creative online world. But as with any social platform, Roblox comes with risks, particularly when it comes to chat and voice chat features.
This guide is designed to help parents understand the risks, learn how to set up safety features, and create healthier gaming habits without constant battles.
Why Kids Love Roblox
Roblox isn’t just one game – it’s millions of mini-games created by users. Children love it because:
- They can play with friends or make new ones.
- It offers endless creativity and customisation.
- It’s free to play (although in-game purchases are encouraged).
But the very features that make Roblox exciting – the open chat, multiplayer worlds, and user-generated content – also make it risky.
The Risks Parents Should Know
While Roblox has improved safety in recent years, there are still concerns:
- Strangers in chat: Children can receive messages from people they don’t know.
- Inappropriate language or content: Filtering exists but isn’t perfect.
- Voice chat risks: Live, unmoderated conversations expose children to swearing, bullying, or grooming.
- Scams: Fake giveaways or “free Robux” offers are common.
Recent reporting by The Guardian has highlighted that some Roblox content can still expose children to “deeply disturbing” material, reinforcing the importance of strong parental oversight and proactive safety settings.
As parents, the goal isn’t to panic or ban Roblox outright – but to set boundaries and guide children toward safer play.
Roblox Chat Safety (Text Chat)
By default, Roblox offers chat features in games and private messages. The level of restriction depends on your child’s age (under 13 accounts are supposed to have tighter filters).
What you can do:
- Go to your child’s Roblox account settings.
- Open the Privacy tab.
- Set Who Can Chat With Me and Who Can Message Me to Friends only or No one.
- Regularly check their friend list.
Pro tip: Play Roblox with your child now and again. You’ll see who they’re interacting with and how they use chat.
Image credit: Roblox Corporation
Roblox Voice Chat – What Parents Must Know
Voice chat is a newer feature that Roblox has introduced, aimed at older players. It requires age verification, usually through an ID and selfie scan.
While this adds some protection, it doesn’t guarantee safe conversations. Once enabled, children can hear (and be heard by) other players in real time. This opens the door to:
- Exposure to swearing or inappropriate talk.
- Bullying through voice.
- Unwanted contact from strangers.
How to disable voice chat:
- Go to Settings > Privacy.
- Toggle Enable Voice Chat off.
For younger children (under 13), voice chat simply isn’t necessary. Even for teens, it’s worth talking through the risks before enabling it.
Setting Up Parental Controls on Roblox
Roblox does offer tools to help parents:
- Parental PIN: Locks privacy settings so kids can’t change them.
- Account Restrictions: Limits games to those curated as appropriate.
- Activity Log: Shows who your child has played with and what they’ve done.
- Blocking and Reporting: Kids can block users or report bad behaviour with a simple click.
Take ten minutes to explore these settings – it’s one of the best steps you can take.
Building Healthy Gaming Habits
Safety settings are only half the picture. What truly matters is building good habits and open conversations. Here are some tips:
- Keep playtime visible: Encourage gaming in shared spaces, not behind closed doors.
- Set limits together: Agree on reasonable screen time, so it feels collaborative, not enforced.
- Talk about why: Instead of just saying “No”, explain why some features are risky.
- Balance gaming with other activities: Encourage sports, reading, or creative hobbies as alternatives.
At Young Minds App, we believe digital safety is about readiness, not restriction. Children grow resilience by learning why boundaries exist and practicing responsible choices.
Final Thoughts
Roblox can be a wonderful platform for creativity and social play – but chat and voice chat come with real risks. The good news is, parents have tools to reduce those risks and, more importantly, conversations that build trust.
Remember: you can’t monitor every click, but you can raise a child who knows what to do when you’re not watching.
Parents Also Ask:
Can strangers talk to my child on Roblox?
Yes, unless chat settings are restricted. By default, kids can receive messages and chat in games. Parents can limit this in Privacy Settings to “Friends only” or “No one.”
Is Roblox safe to play?
Roblox can be safe if parental controls are set and play is monitored. The risks mostly come from user-generated content, in-game chat, and voice chat. With boundaries, Roblox can be a positive creative outlet.
What is Roblox Safe Chat?
Roblox Safe Chat is a feature that automatically filters and blocks inappropriate words and personal information. It’s stricter for under-13 accounts, but not perfect, so supervision is still important.
Is Roblox safe for 6-year-olds?
Roblox is not designed for very young children. Even with filters, the open chat, in-game purchases, and user-generated content make it more suitable for children 9+ with parental oversight. For a 6-year-old, a highly restricted account and supervised play are essential.
