Roblox's New AI Selfie Check: Will It Actually Stop the Creeps?
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
Roblox is adding an AI-powered video selfie age verification system to try and protect younger users, but whether it'll actually work remains to be seen (and I'm personally on the fence). It’s a needed step for the company to take to reassure parents.
Right, so Roblox is rolling out a new AI-powered "video selfie" system for age verification, and honestly, I'm both intrigued and a tad skeptical. According to Game Rant, this new feature is aimed at those tricky 13-17 year olds who might not have a proper ID. The idea? An AI scans your selfie video and reckons your age. Sounds simple enough, doesn't it?
But here's where my inner wizard starts poking around. Roblox, bless their blocky hearts, has been under the cosh lately for, shall we say, *not* being the safest playground for younger gamers. We're talking lawsuits, parental uproar, the whole shebang. So, they're clearly feeling the pressure to clean up their act.
This video selfie thing is supposed to help teens who don't have official ID. Fair enough. But what about the crafty blighters who *do* have fake IDs? Or the, shall we say, creatively-aged individuals using someone else's face? The article rightly points out that it's still unknown how effective this thing will *actually* be. Colour me dubious, but I reckon it'll be less 'magical age detector' and more 'slightly better guess-o-meter'.
Beyond the AI face-scan, Roblox is also adding parental controls, screen time insights, and a "trusted connections" system for teens to chat unfiltered with their mates. Which, on paper, sounds grand. More control for parents, more freedom (within reason) for teens. But we all know how these things go. Will parents actually *use* the tools? Will teens just find workarounds? It's a digital arms race, mate, and Roblox's got a long way to go before it wins.
Now, I'm not saying Roblox is doomed. They're trying, and I'll give them credit for that. And they're making some interesting content partnership deals, including paying creators to develop content inspired by IPs like Like a Dragon and Stranger Things! Sega is even offering a 50/50 revenue split for Like a Dragon fan content. But all the content deals in the world won't matter if the platform remains a magnet for predators. The company’s efforts to increase safety will assist them in the long run as they push into more and more IPs and partnerships.
Ultimately, this AI selfie system is a step in the right direction. But it's just one step. Roblox needs to keep experimenting, keep innovating, and, most importantly, actually *listen* to the concerns of parents and players. Otherwise, this whole thing will just be another PR stunt that vanishes faster than a poorly cast invisibility spell.
Tags: Roblox, AI, Safety, Parental Controls, Gaming News
Original article: Game Rant