Recently, the major gaming platform Roblox has tested a new artificial intelligence system that estimates users’ ages through facial analysis, a move the company says is meant to improve safety and limit age misrepresentation.
The system asks users to complete a short camera test requiring them to present their face at least twice, which is then analyzed by an AI model trained to estimate age based on facial features and movement.
Roblox says this technology will help determine whether users meet age requirements for certain features, including access to mature games and voice chat.
Age accuracy has long been a grueling challenge for Roblox, as users can self-report their birthdays when creating accounts, making age falsification effortless. The company claims the AI system addresses the issue without requiring users to upload government-issued identification.
The facial scans are done in real time and are deleted shortly after an age estimate is made. Roblox has publicly stated that participation is optional, as users can rely on other verification methods, such as parental consent.
However, the use of facial analysis has raised a plethora of concerns among privacy advocates. Critics argue that AI age estimation can be inaccurate and may reflect a bias related to race, gender or physical development. Others question whether or not minors should be asked to submit facial data at all, even if it’s not stored.
“This is disgusting. No one should have to feed their face to an AI just to be able to talk to people on Roblox,” one Reddit user wrote. “This will not only kill games that require communication, but funnel kids directly to predators and vice versa by getting their ages wrong.”
The test reflects the growing pressures that online platforms face when it comes to protecting younger users. Lawmakers and child safety groups have increasingly criticized social media and gaming companies for failing to enforce age-based restrictions.
And as virtual spaces become more and more prevalent online, the line between safety and surveillance continues to blur.
