Parents in West Yorkshire welcome Roblox rolling out new parental safety tools

Parents and experts across West Yorkshire, are welcoming Roblox has announced major updates to its safety features

It now includes the ability to block specific users from appearing on their child’s friends list as well as delete games or experiences.

Previously, some parents were concerned as it could feature inappropriate themes or what's being described as unsafe interactions.

A Leeds parent, Louise McClarkey, who has three children all under 12 years wasn’t aware of the new updates, she said; “I think it’s a very good thing, its very much welcomed, but a bit more information from these gaming companies would also be helpful for parents also trying to navigate these as well.”

Gail Sayles from West Yorkshire NSPCC, said; “Any kind of new measure to help keep children safer online is to be welcomed, but these companies are putting the onus on parents and carers to help keep our children safe, the duty should be on these companies making these platforms safer by design.”

She said: “From our online safety workshops across the UK, we often hear the same thing from parents, that many simply don’t know about the tools already available on platforms like Roblox.”

Roblox does have moderation policies and content filters in place, but many safety advocates believe companies like Roblox should carry more of the responsibility themselves.

Andrew Briercliffe, an independent global online safety advisor said: “Some parents are really tuned in to what their children are doing online and will use these tools, but we have to understand not all parents are like that and children don’t always tell parents about what they’re doing.”

Gail Sayles from West Yorkshire NSPCC, gave some tips to help parents navigate the challenges:

Tips for Parents Using Roblox

• Use the new features: Go into your child’s Roblox account and block specific users or remove questionable games.

• Explore together: Don’t rely on what your child tells you – have a look around their games yourself.

• Have positive conversations: Find out about the games they play and why they enjoy playing them.

• Turn off location settings and make sure private messaging is restricted or monitored.

• Check outside resources: Sites like Common Sense Media and the NSPCC’s online safety hub provide easy-to-understand guides on whether certain games are age-appropriate.

• Explain the importance of online safety: So, children feel confident to speak to parents and carers if they have worries.

Experts suggest that these new features from Roblox are a step in the right direction, but parents remain the first line of defense.