It’s the summer holidays, and kids everywhere have more free time on their hands in order to explore online, utilize social media platforms, and play video games. Unfortunately for us parents of these tech-savvy kids, tweens and teens – we don’t necessarily know what some of these games are all about.
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What is Roblox?
First, let's answer the quetsion, what is Roblox? It’s a gaming platform that allows users to create and play online games created by other users. First launched in 2006, it has grown to be an extremely large ecosystem with millions of players worldwide. Unlike conventional video games, Roblox is not played as single game, rather it is a platform that hosts thousands of different games, referred to as "experiences." These experiences spawn different genres—from adventure and role-playing to obstacle courses.
The special element of Roblox is that it entrusts users to be both players and creators. Users can design their games using a scripting language through its game development engine. These games are then published on the Roblox platform for others to play. This style of creation has cultivated a large community of developers, many of whom have made their hobby into a prosperous experience.
Sexual Roblox issues: Roblox sex games
When we think of our kids playing video games online, we may be imagining the old-school innocence of Pacman or Solitaire – but what is actually on offer is much scarier. Seeing as Roblox is an online platform where games can be both made and played by users, there are thousands of options for kids. With so many varied games on offer, there are games on the platform that aren’t remotely child-friendly or appropriate for all ages. Certainly, parents are not imagining that their kids may have access to Sexual Roblox games, or porn games on Roblox.
Is Roblox porn a real issue?
Unfortunately, yes, Roblox porn is something to be concerned with. Although Roblox has strict community guidelines and employs a team of moderators to prevent inappropriate content, some users manage to bypass these measures. Instances of pornographic content, known as Roblox porn have been reported, where inappropriate imagery or behavior appears in user-created games or is shared through chat.
The issue of Roblox porn may occur for several reasons:
- User-generated content: Roblox's appeal lies in its user-generated content. However, this freedom also means that users can create and share content that violates community standards.
- Moderation limitations: While Roblox employs a large team of human moderators and automated systems to monitor content, the sheer volume of user-generated content can make it challenging to catch every instance of inappropriate material promptly.
- Exploiters and Hackers: Some users intentionally create or share inappropriate content by exploiting the platform’s vulnerabilities or using hacking tools.
Does your kid play Roblox? Keep them safe with FamilyKeeper.
Con games on Roblox
What are con games on Roblox? Earlier this year, a BBC investigation revealed a spate of ‘condos’ discovered on the platform – sex parties where avatars can talk about and have sex. The advent of sexual games on Roblox is extremely worrying. Roblox has acknowledged that this is indeed a problem, and although most condos, (or ‘Roblox cons or ‘Roblox scented cons’ as they are sometimes known), are extremely short-lived – lasting about an hour before they are discovered and removed – their very existence is troubling parents, who are still concerned that this is happening at all.
How to find inappropriate Roblox games
These particular ‘Roblox sex games’ - sexual, pornographic and violent in nature - are also not ones that you would stumble across. Googling ‘How to find inappropriate Roblox games’ may not even do the trick - you would need to actively search for them. However, threat actors determined to abuse the system can still slip through the net in order to display ‘Roblox porn’. ‘It's a "cat and mouse" issue. There are people who are going out of their way to game the systems,’ the BBC quoted Larry Magid, president of ConnectSafely - a non-profit organization that raises awareness about child safety online. Roblox themselves are currently policing the issue and do have parental control settings on the games - but as parents, we do need to be aware and understand what content kids could potentially be exposed to, in order to avoid ‘sexual Roblox’ content becoming an issue for our kids.
Sexual games on Roblox
At the moment, five of the most prominent sexually explicit and pornographic Roblox games are as follows:
- Shower Stimulator: Whereby players can take a bath together, leading to intimate and erotic moments and conversations between participants
- Dance Club: Players engage in sexual dance moves
- Shedletsky’s Dirty Place: Kids come together in Shedletsky’s house and engage in a variety of dirty activities
- Obby Games: Involving disturbing tasks that the player needs to complete before moving on to the next level
- Club Iris: Seedy activity in seedy hotel rooms
For younger children, if they don’t know how to search for sexual Roblox games, it’s unlikely they will come across any of these concerning games. However, it is important to check with your kids about what they are being exposed to and open the channels of conversation to discuss what kinds of games they like playing.
Additionally, the violence of some Roblox games can also be upsetting. For example, Zombie Attack requires you to kill all the zombies by stabbing or shooting, with shockingly graphic blood spurting out. Haunted Hunters is a shooting game that is actually meant for adults, but can still be accessed by kids. And Survive the Killers is notoriously violent and terrible, whereby kids use an array of weapons to slaughter and kill other players. In Submarine Story, your avatar is in a submarine, setting out to explore the ocean. Not particularly worrying. However, squid men falling through the roof and trying to kill you with a knife, and shouting messages like “You will perish!” are pretty haunting – especially as the squid man’s face is eerily creepy.
Remember, although Roblox undoubtedly attracts millions of kids under the age of 12, Common Sense Media warns parents that due to ‘iffy content’, it should really have a 13+ rating. Adult predators are also able to interact with kids using the platform. So take the time this summer to explore the platform a little and understand how Roblox works. By familiarizing ourselves with what content Roblox has to offer, parents will be in a better position to comprehend what kids are seeing, playing, and being exposed to – and hopefully will be able to protect kids from anything untoward, and from stumbling across sexual and porn-related subject matter on Roblox’s platform.
Worried about what your kid is seeing online? Help them navigate safely with FamilyKeeper.
How to delete Roblox account
If you're a concerned parent wondering how to delete Roblox account, look no further. However, it is not a straightforward process and can be confusing. You will need to conact ROblox's custoemr support team at info@Roblox.com and request your child's account be permanently closed. Alternatively, you can log into their account, visit the support page, and submit a request to delete the account. Once your reqeuested has been processed, the account will be permanently removed.
How to use the FamilyKeeper Parental Control App to protect kids from Roblox sexual content
It is strongly recommended to utilize a parental control app that can alert you if your kids are being exposed to inappropriate content or flags when sexual, pornographic or bullying keywords are used. FamilyKeeper parental control app can help give parents peace of mind, safeguarding young family members from offensive content across the most popular social media platforms. For more information on the FamilyKeeper parental control app, visit: https://familykeeper.reasonlabs.com and join our Facebook Community Group Digital World Parenting.
