Roblox introduces Kids and Select accounts to enhance minor safety amid legal pressure.

Roblox has introduced specialized "Kids" and "Select" accounts for younger users, automatically assigning children aged five to nine to Kids accounts and those aged nine to 15 to Select accounts. These changes, announced this week, aim to provide age-appropriate access to games and chat features while restricting exposure to mature content. According to TechCrunch, the move comes as Roblox seeks to differentiate its gaming platform from social media amid a growing wave of global proposals for bans on such services for minors.

The timing of this rollout is no coincidence. Roblox faces intensifying scrutiny over child safety, including a high-profile lawsuit from Los Angeles County filed in February 2026, which accuses the company of unfair business practices that expose children to predators, sexually explicit content, and grooming. The suit, led by County Board Chair Hilda Solis, claims Roblox prioritizes profits over effective moderation, age verification, and warnings about platform risks, violating California's Unfair Competition Law and False Advertising Law. It seeks penalties up to $2,500 per day per violation and demands real safeguards.

This legal pressure extends beyond LA County. Multiple lawsuits have targeted Roblox in recent years, such as a Texas case in August 2025 where parents of an 8-year-old boy alleged grooming and exploitation due to weak age checks, open chat, and easy account creation after bans. Another Florida federal lawsuit from July 2025 blamed Roblox and Discord for the rape of an 11-year-old girl after online grooming, highlighting inadequate parental controls and the treatment of 13-year-olds as adults for restrictions. Law firms like Altman & Altman note Roblox's failure to verify ages meaningfully, allowing explicit user-generated content to proliferate despite abuse reports.

Roblox CEO Dave Baszucka addressed these concerns directly in Bloomberg interviews, emphasizing the new accounts as a proactive step to enhance safety. As reported by Bloomberg Technology, the company is positioning itself to avoid being classified as social media, which faces bans in various regions. In a Fox News discussion, Baszucka described the updates as a "massive age check fix," with Kids accounts limiting interactions and Select accounts offering graduated access to build safer experiences.

Families with young children stand to be most affected, gaining tools for controlled play but relying on Roblox's enforcement amid past criticisms. Regulators and parents' groups continue pushing for stricter laws, with outcomes like platform bans or mandated verifications hanging in the balance. What happens next could hinge on how well these accounts curb incidents—Roblox has promised ongoing refinements, but lawsuits suggest monitoring and potential court-ordered changes lie ahead.