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If Roblox has been in your news feed this autumn, you are not imagining it. In the space of a few weeks, a US state settled with the company, a judge let a county lawsuit go ahead, another state went to court over an investigation, and regulators in Australia and Norway published reports. That can sound alarming. But millions of children play Roblox every day, most of them happily, and the most useful thing a parent can do is not to panic. It is to spend 15 minutes on the settings. This guide explains what the headlines actually say, then walks you through the controls that matter, age by age.
The newsWhat happened this autumn
Here is the short version, as of 3 November 2026:
- Kansas settled. On 29 September, the Kansas Attorney General announced a settlement: Roblox will pay $9.8 million over three years, fund a $500,000 awareness campaign, and keep measures such as age checks, age-grouped chat, parental controls and limits on Robux transfers. Roblox called the agreement a “blueprint” for working with regulators, according to KMBC.
- Los Angeles County’s lawsuit goes ahead. The County sued Roblox in February, alleging unfair and deceptive practices. On 24 September a judge rejected Roblox’s bid to dismiss the case. That means the case continues, not that Roblox has been found liable.
- Arizona went to court over an investigation. On 16 October, Arizona’s Attorney General asked a court to order Roblox to hand over documents in a child-safety investigation, saying the company had not fully responded.
- Australia’s regulator compared four big game platforms. eSafety’s October report found no common safety baseline across Roblox, Fortnite, Minecraft and Steam, while crediting Roblox for stronger age checks since December 2025.
- Norway’s media regulator raised concerns. Medietilsynet’s report, published 22 October, describes “significant risk” for children on Roblox, mainly from purchase pressure, design that makes it hard to stop playing, and contact with strangers. Eight in ten Norwegian 9–12-year-olds use Roblox.
Plain wordsWhat the lawsuits and reports actually say
It helps to separate three different things.
Allegations. Lawsuits are claims, not rulings. In the federal courts, family lawsuits have been grouped into one case in San Francisco (MDL No. 3166), Reuters reported, and about 180 cases were pending by October, according to reports, with more filed since. The families allege that Roblox, and in many cases Discord, failed to protect children from people who exploited them. Right now the main fight is procedural: Roblox and Discord have asked the judge to send several test cases to private arbitration, the families oppose that, and a hearing is set for 13 January 2027, Law.com reports. Several US states have also filed their own suits, which move separately, according to Reuters. The Los Angeles County complaint alleges that Roblox did not moderate effectively or verify ages, while marketing itself as safe. Roblox has argued in court that federal law and the First Amendment protect it from such claims. None of these cases has reached a verdict.
Settlements. The Kansas settlement is an agreement, not a finding of liability. It is useful to parents because it lists what Roblox committed to do, including steps to stop users being moved “off the platform to other sites, including Discord”.
Regulator reports. eSafety and Medietilsynet looked at how the platform works rather than at individual cases. Australia’s regulator noted that Epic reviews every user-made Fortnite island before it goes live, while Roblox mostly uses tools to catch harmful user-made games after they are published. Norway’s regulator warned that parental controls can give “a false sense of security” if parents rely on them alone.
What mattersThree risks worth knowing about
1. Someone asks to “move the chat”
The pattern regulators describe most often is not something that happens inside a game. It is a stranger who builds trust and then suggests carrying on somewhere else, such as Discord or Snapchat, where there are fewer protections. eSafety calls this “off-platforming”, and the Kansas Attorney General warned about kids being “pushed onto other apps where parents have even less visibility”. Roblox settings cannot follow your child into another app. That is why the conversation below matters as much as any setting.
2. User-made games that slip through
Almost everything on Roblox is built by users. Every game gets a content maturity label, and games for under-16s go through extra review. Roblox itself says that no system is perfect and that it cannot prevent all objectionable content. Blocking specific games and checking your child’s top games every week covers that gap.
3. Robux pressure and “free Robux” scams
Norway’s regulator found “massive” commercial pressure on children. Scammers also exploit it. Roblox is blunt: “There is no such thing as free Robux”, and any offer of “free Robux” is a scam designed to steal accounts. We will look at Robux scams in more detail in a future guide.
New this yearWhat Roblox changed in 2026
- Age checks to chat. Since January, Roblox says, every user must complete an age check to chat, either with a facial age estimate (images are deleted after processing, Roblox says) or, for 13+, a government ID. Chat is then grouped by age: under-16s cannot chat with adults they do not know, and each age group can chat with the groups directly above and below it.
- Roblox Kids and Roblox Select accounts. Since June, users are placed into age-based accounts. Roblox Kids (5–8) shows only Minimal or Mild games, with chat off unless a linked parent turns it on. Roblox Select (9–15) goes up to Moderate games from a reviewed catalogue. Children who skip the age check stay in these catalogues with chat off.
- Trusted Friends. In April, “Connections” went back to being called Friends, and Trusted Friends became the label for people a child actually knows. For under-13s, a parent must approve each Trusted Friend.
- Ongoing age re-checks. Roblox says it now checks whether an account’s behaviour still matches its age, for example when an account has been handed down to a younger sibling, and may ask for a new age check.
The limits. Age estimates can be wrong, which is why Roblox lets a parent correct a child’s age once. Shared or borrowed accounts can put a child in the wrong band. And none of this covers what happens after a conversation leaves Roblox.
Do it tonightThe 15-minute settings checklist
Do this together with your child if you can. Menu names below are from Roblox’s Parental Controls Overview as of November 2026, and they can vary by region. Each step is marked with the ages it applies to.
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Link your parent account (all ages under 18)
- On your child’s account, open Settings, then Parental Controls, and select Add parent. You will verify your own age with an ID or a credit card, then select Agree, as Roblox explains. After that, everything below lives in your account under Settings > Parental controls > your child’s account > Settings you manage.
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Check the age band (all ages)
- Make sure the account is in the right band: Roblox Kids for 5–8, Roblox Select for 9–15. If an age check put your child in the wrong band, you can fix the birthday once from Settings > Parental Controls with the pencil icon next to their birthdate. If you help with the facial age check, keep yourself out of the camera.
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Set chat (under 9: off; 9–15: narrow)
- Under Communication, Experience chat covers in-game chat and Direct chat covers one-to-one messages in games. For under-9s, the simplest choice is to leave chat off. For 9–15, consider Friends chat set to Trusted friends only, and approve Trusted Friends you know in real life. Parents can manage chat settings until 16.
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Check voice (9–15, where available)
- Voice chat with friends is only available in some regions and only with Trusted Friends for under-18s. It is off for under-13s (you can allow it for 9–12) and on by default for 13–15 with Trusted Friends. You can turn it off under Communication > Chat and party with friends.
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Set content and block games (under 16)
- Under Content restrictions, use Content maturity to choose the highest rating allowed, and use Blocked games to block anything you are not comfortable with. If your child asks for a game outside their catalogue, the request appears in Pending requests and you choose Allow or Don’t Allow.
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Set a spending limit and notifications (limit under 13; notifications to 18)
- Under Spending restrictions, set a Monthly spending limit, which resets every calendar month, and choose Spending notifications: All transactions or High spend alerts. The limit does not cover gift card redemptions and may not apply on some consoles. Under Robux, set Approvals to Always ask for Robux transfers.
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Set a daily screen-time limit (under 13)
- Under Screen time, select Manage and pick a Daily limit. From 13, teens manage their own limit, but you can still see their screen time and top games. You can also turn on weekly Activity updates by email.
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Review friends together (under 13 to manage; all ages to view)
- Open Friends, then Manage, and go through the list with your child. Ask how they know each person. You can block or report anyone from the three-dot menu.
Talk tonightThe conversation that matters most
Settings handle what happens inside Roblox. Your child’s judgement handles everything else. One sentence covers most of it:
“If anyone asks you to move to another app, send pictures, or keep a secret from me, tell me. You will not be in trouble.”
The last part matters most. Kids who fear losing their game are less likely to speak up. Make it clear that telling you never costs them Roblox. If a child is in immediate danger, call 112 (EU) or your local emergency number. If something has already happened, our guide to the warning signs of sextortion explains what to do first. And if your child also talks to AI characters, see whether Character.AI is safe for kids.
For parentsWhere SafeLagoon can help
Roblox’s own controls work inside Roblox. SafeLagoon works on your child’s Android phone, so you can set a daily time limit for the Roblox app or block it during homework or at bedtime. On Android, it also lets you see your child’s regular text messages (SMS). It doesn’t cover Roblox chat or other chat apps, and it can’t guarantee your child’s safety; it helps you set limits and notice when to talk. Start your Premium trial to try it.
QuestionsFAQ
Is Roblox safe for kids in 2026?
It is safer with the right settings. Roblox now requires an age check to chat, places under-16s in age-based accounts and gives linked parents controls. Lawsuits and regulators say risks remain, especially strangers moving chats to other apps, so pair the settings with regular conversations.
What are Roblox Kids and Roblox Select?
Age-based accounts introduced globally in June 2026. Roblox Kids (5–8) shows only Minimal or Mild games, with chat off unless a parent allows it. Roblox Select (9–15) adds Moderate games from a reviewed catalogue, with chat that opens up gradually.
Does my child need an age check?
Only to chat and to use some features. Without one, your child stays in the Kids or Select catalogue with chat off.
Has Roblox been found liable in these lawsuits?
No. As of 3 November 2026, these are civil cases, and Roblox has not been found liable; the claims are allegations and are ongoing. Kansas reached a settlement, which is not a court ruling, and the main federal question right now is whether some cases go to arbitration.
Can I limit Roblox time outside the app?
Yes. Roblox’s own daily limit applies to under-13s. On Android, a parental control app such as SafeLagoon can also set a time limit for the Roblox app or block it on the device.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Case details are as of 3 November 2026 and may change. Roblox menu names may vary by region and app version. Roblox and other third-party names are trademarks of their owners; no affiliation or endorsement is implied.
Writes for the Safe Lagoon blog · More articles on the blog
