Is Roblox Dangerous for Kids?

Updated on April 3, 2025.

Roblox can be dangerous for kids since it can expose them to online risks, including cyberbullying, scammers, predators, inappropriate content and even malware or viruses. Although Roblox offers a fun and engaging environment for online gaming, its user-generated content means that children can interact with content ranging from harmless games to disturbing or violent content. 

Continue reading to learn more about the dangers of Roblox, the risks your children may face and how you can help them play online safely.

What is Roblox?

Roblox is an online gaming platform that first launched in 2006 but grew in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. It allows users to play and create a wide variety of games, such as simulation, role-playing, puzzles and even shooting games. Most of the games on Roblox are created by users, so children can both play and create games. Some popular games, like Jailbreak, Work in a Pizza Place or Disaster Survival, feature adult-like scenarios that may not be appropriate for all ages.

Is Roblox free?

Although Roblox itself is free, players can spend real-life money to purchase Robux (the platform’s virtual currency) to buy avatar customization items and other in-game features. Children are also encouraged to make in-game purchases, so if a child doesn’t understand the real-world cost, you could lose a large amount of unexpected money.

What is the age limit for Roblox?

There is no strict age limit for playing Roblox, so players of all ages can join and create games. However, Roblox does have guidelines and age recommendations to customize each experience based on a player’s age. Since both children and adults can play Roblox, this can lead to unwanted or potentially inappropriate communication between a child and an adult; more on that below.

What are the risks of kids playing Roblox?

There are many dangers to a child’s privacy when playing Roblox, including encountering cyberbullying, scammers, online predators and inappropriate content. 

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is a serious threat to children both in real life and online, and it has unfortunately become increasingly common in the online world. On platforms like Roblox, cyberbullying usually involves harmful name-calling, offensive language and actions made to embarrass or anger the victim. Since there is no age restriction, some of this language and activity can be emotionally damaging, especially to younger children. Bullies who remain anonymous on the internet have an easier time targeting others, making the experience distressing to kids who play video games online.

Scammers

There are several ways scammers can target your child while playing Roblox. One common scam involves tricking players into trading items bought with real money, so they lose money in the process. Another common scam entices players into clicking a link for free Robux, so it’s important to talk to your children about not clicking on suspicious links. These offers are often too good to be true, which is a clear sign that an interaction is a scam.

Online predators

Because both adults and children play Roblox, one of the most serious risks your child faces is the possibility of interacting with online predators. Players can communicate through voice or text messages if they’ve accepted each other’s friend requests. Predators typically lure children into communicating with them by pretending to be children themselves, then they take their online communication from Roblox onto a different platform. Sometimes, these interactions can lead to dangerous, in-person encounters. According to Bloomberg, over two dozen people in the past six years have been accused of and arrested for kidnapping or abusing children they met while playing Roblox, with many of these suspects being registered sex offenders or child abusers. Make sure your child understands never to share private information, especially pictures or home addresses, with strangers both on Roblox and elsewhere.

Inappropriate content

Although Roblox tries to ensure that all games meet certain standards by checking for appropriate images and language, the platform still allows users to generate the content. As a result, some games may include violent, horror-themed or even sexual content. Violent content in video games has been proven to increase levels of aggression in children, according to a 2015 report by the American Psychological Association (APA). For example, a popular game on Roblox called Survive the Killer involves players hiding from or playing as a serial killer. This game is rated as appropriate for children ages nine and older. However, even children who fall within the recommended age group may experience fear or anxiety due to the violence of the game.

Malware and viruses

If your child isn’t careful while playing Roblox, they could unknowingly infect their device with malware or viruses. Malware is software designed to steal personal data, while a virus is a type of malware that needs user interaction to infect a device and self-replicate onto other programs or files. Your child might encounter malware and viruses by sharing private information with strangers, downloading third-party software or clicking malicious links. For example, a popular web browser extension called SearchBlox claims to allow players to search for other Roblox users. However, this extension has been compromised, and cybercriminals have been able to steal Robux by accessing the data children enter.

Account takeovers

Another danger your child may face while playing Roblox is the risk of an account takeover. Account takeovers occur when cybercriminals steal login credentials through phishing scams, then use those credentials to access the victim’s account and lock them out. After a cybercriminal gains full access to their victim’s account, they impersonate the victim and commit identity theft and fraud. Regarding Roblox, cybercriminals typically transfer any valuable items from their victim’s account into their own Roblox account. So, if your child purchases anything using real money on their game, they could lose everything if their Roblox account got hacked.

How to make Roblox safe for your child

Despite the many security and privacy risks to your child playing Roblox, there are several ways you can keep them safe while they play on this popular gaming platform.

1. Set up your child’s Roblox account for them

To reduce the risk of exposing your child to inappropriate content, create their Roblox account yourself. Enter your child’s birthday accurately into Roblox to ensure the content and communication settings are age-appropriate. For example, if a child falsely claims to be older, Roblox may suggest content that’s too mature for their actual age.

Use a strong password to protect your child’s Roblox account and identity from cybercriminals. Consider using Keeper Family Password Manager, where each of your family members gets their own digital vault to create and store passwords securely. Keeper’s built-in password generator randomly generates strong, unique passwords using a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols.

After you set up their account, make sure to enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) to add an extra layer of security. This requires a second verification step, such as a PIN, a code from an authenticator app or a biometric scan. You can enable 2FA in your child’s Roblox settings under 2 Step Verification.

2. Verify the parental email address

Once you’ve signed your child up for their Roblox account, verify your parental email address. This is very helpful when contacting Roblox for support and is also mandatory to set up many important parental controls. You can add a parental email address to your child’s Roblox account by logging in to their account, going into Settings, selecting Account Info and tapping Add Parent’s Email.

3. Create parental controls

After you’ve verified your parental email address on your child’s Roblox account, set up parental controls to keep them safe by going to Settings and selecting Parental Controls. Here, you can determine whether your child can spend real money on Robux and set spending limits. You should also enable an account PIN to prevent these parental settings from being changed by anyone unless they know the PIN.

4. Teach your kids safe practices for online chat rooms

It is essential to discuss online safety with your child, especially if they use chat rooms on Roblox or other online games. Make sure your child understands not to reveal personal information, speak with or accept private messages from strangers. Emphasize how important it is for your child to trust their instincts if someone online makes them feel uncomfortable.

You can disable your child’s ability to chat online by logging in to your child’s Roblox account, visiting Settings, clicking the Privacy tab, finding Who can chat with me in app? and selecting No one. Make sure to scroll down to the bottom of the screen to save your preferences.

5. Show your kids how to report abuse

If your child gets cyberbullied or encounters another player who is not following the rules, show them how to report abuse. To report a player, select the menu button that looks like the Roblox logo, click on the flag icon next to a user’s name and then select Report. From there, you will be asked a series of questions regarding the incident and the reason you’re reporting abuse.

6. Maintain an open line of communication with your children

Since Roblox offers so many different experiences, it’s important to keep communication open with your child. As they get older, make sure you can talk about the activities they encounter or participate in online. If your child likes playing Roblox, they’ll feel more comfortable sharing their experiences with you if you understand the game and what they enjoy about it. This way, if anything goes wrong, they’ll be more likely to come to you for help.

Protect your kids when online gaming

After learning all about Roblox and its potential security risks to your children, you must protect them when they play games online. Setting up your child’s Roblox account and creating a strong password could prevent their data and private information from being hacked by a cybercriminal.

Protect your entire family’s online safety today by using Keeper Family Password Manager.