● Roblox’s open system makes its players, especially children, vulnerable to unsafe content and interactions.

● The role of parents is very important in maintaining children’s digital safety through digital skills and playing together.

● Despite its educational potential, each game in Roblox offers different experiences and risks.

Roblox is one of the most popular games of all time with more than 100 million players per day .

In Indonesia, Roblox is no less popular. Its daily active players reached 7.2 million as of August 2025 .

Roblox is popular because it’s free and emphasizes interaction between players. Because it’s easy to play , it’s no wonder 40% of its users are under 13 .

In the world of Roblox, we can do anything and interact with anyone. This allows for a wide variety of content, as players can create and incorporate millions of user-created ” experiences .”

This very open Roblox system increases the opportunity for children who use Roblox to access “ experiences ” that may be harmful to them.

Many ” experiences ” are actually dangerous for children. For example, experiences containing hate speech or chat features that allow users to interact with sexual predators .

Equally important to be wary of is the existence of “ experiences ” that lead to microtransactions such as ‘shovelware’ —a term for low-quality software designed solely to make money.

Roblox claims their platform is a safe place for children to play through an age verification system and restrictions on some features .

However, the game is still potentially unsafe. Therefore, parents need to play a key role in ensuring their children’s digital safety—including when playing Roblox.

Making Roblox safer for kids

While Roblox has established safety standards for players under 13 , parental digital literacy remains the most effective safeguard to help understand and assess the risks children face.

Parents with a high level of digital literacy will be more confident in helping their children navigate the digital world, including playing games.

1. Have and pass on digital skills

There are at least two dimensions of digital skills competency that are important in the context of Roblox.

First , parents need to guide their children’s online identity by helping them create Roblox accounts without compromising security and privacy. This includes choosing which features children are allowed to use.

Second , parents need to be vigilant about digital security and access. For example, whether children are playing on their parents’ devices or their own, and whether those devices are connected to e-wallets or other payment methods.

It’s important for parents to discuss with their children what is and isn’t safe on Roblox. Parents should explain the reasons for this in language their children can easily understand.

For example, parents explain the rules and risks of talking to strangers in chat rooms . This includes explaining inappropriate language they might accidentally see in games.

To prevent children from feeling watched, communication can be conducted through simple, relaxed discussions. The goal is for children to gradually accept their parents’ concerns and learn to protect themselves.

2. Play together

Another strategy that can be used is co-play or playing together.

Co-play gives parents the opportunity to directly understand their child’s Roblox experience. This allows them to better understand the game’s content, their child’s interactions with the game, and the social experiences they gain.

By sharing the same experiences as children, co-play encourages discussions between parents and children about potential risks in games and how to address them.

If possible, it’s best for parents to understand Roblox better than their children. With a greater understanding, parents can reduce exposure to content or prevent their children from entering communities that are harmful to them.

Does Roblox really have educational potential?

The risks of Roblox games for children have drawn mixed responses in many countries, including Indonesia . Roblox has even been banned in some countries due to its perceived unsafe nature.

One topic of debate is the educational element of Roblox . Depending on the motivation for playing and the actions of others , social games can indeed facilitate communication and collaboration.

Video games can also improve cognitive abilities, such as perception and decision-making , including reading skills. The enjoyment derived from playing video games can actually reinforce these positive effects.

Games designed solely for entertainment can also be educational. Reading Eggs, a popular game in Australia, for example, uses video games to facilitate learning. The Singapore Asian Civilizations Museum also created the “ACMverse” on the Roblox platform as a special exhibition, where children can safely play live. Research has also shown that Roblox has potential for educational use.

However, Roblox has numerous servers or minigames. The content and gameplay experience provided by each game can vary greatly. As a result, it’s difficult to estimate children’s exposure if they play without regulated access.

Roblox, as a gaming platform, claims to do its best to protect children in its gaming environment. In the Indonesian context, this includes expressing its readiness to collaborate with the Indonesian Game Rating System (IGRS) and reviewing game classifications, which currently use the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)’s T ( teen ) rating for young children.

However, safety control for children’s gaming experiences should remain with parents.

Author Bios: Birgitta Bestari Puspita is a PhD student and Sian Tomkinson is a Media and Communication Scholar both at Edith Cowan University