Roblox Launches Facial Age Estimation for Reliable Connections

Published Date : 7/18/2025 

Roblox has launched a new Trusted Connections feature, utilizing facial age estimation technology from Persona to enhance user safety and communication. 

Roblox, the popular online gaming platform that allows users to create and share games, has introduced a new system called Trusted Connections. This system integrates facial age estimation (FAE) technology provided by Persona. The move is part of Roblox's ongoing efforts to enhance user safety and communication within the platform.

“We’re investing in age estimation technology to help confirm users’ ages,” states a post from Roblox. Trusted Connections can be unlocked through age estimation, allowing users who are connected through this feature to communicate more freely in chat and voice with people they know and trust. This additional freedom to chat more openly with trusted connections reduces the incentive for teens to move interactions off the platform, where they may be exposed to greater risk.

Roblox has faced headlines for what digital behavior experts call “a troubling disconnect between Roblox’s child-friendly appearance and the reality of what children experience on the platform.” In response, the company has implemented additional parental controls and has now integrated these measures into Trusted Connections.

“Users 13 to 17 who have their age confirmed can add each other as a Trusted Connection. In addition, teens (13 to 17) can only add users 18+ who they know in real life as Trusted Connections, through a QR scan or Contact Importer,” explains Roblox.

Persona’s age assurance, which Reddit also recently integrated, is a prerequisite for accessing Trusted Connections. The system uses a video selfie matched against Persona’s datasets to estimate age. Those determined to be under 13, or those whose age the system is unable to estimate “with high confidence,” will not have access to the program.

Looking ahead, Roblox envisions using age estimation platform-wide to support user access to age-appropriate features and content. Users always have a choice: age estimation is optional, and those over 13 can still verify with an ID and, in the future, verified parental consent.

Persona launched its facial age estimation in partnership with Paravision in late-2023. The technology aims to provide a balance between user privacy and safety, a critical aspect in the digital landscape.

While platforms like Roblox see the value in age assurance, the social media industry at large continues to push against legislation that requires it. Challenges by industry lobby group NetChoice, which includes Reddit, Meta, Amazon, X, and YouTube, have seen significant success in U.S. courts. However, a recent decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has allowed Mississippi’s age verification law, HB 1126, to go into effect.

“We are very disappointed in the Fifth Circuit’s decision to let Mississippi’s censorship law go into effect,” says Paul Taske, co-director of the NetChoice Litigation Center. “We are considering all available options. NetChoice will continue to fight against this egregious infringement on access to fully protected speech online. Parents – not the government – should determine what is right for their families.”

The social media industry argues that the so-called “Walker Montgomery Protecting Children Online Act” violates the First Amendment, potentially leading to the censorship of a vast amount of speech online. However, the debate continues as parents and policymakers seek to balance free speech with the protection of children.

One of the buzziest topics in age verification is zero knowledge proofs (ZKPs). Liberal U.S. thinktank New America has released a brief on the legal concerns surrounding age assurance and offers recommendations for building a digital ecosystem that supports privacy-preserving age verification.

“Delineate the appropriate instances for strict age verification,” it recommends. “Determine the roles of different entities in the age verification process and how these entities establish trust. Coordinate industry action through shared standards and protocols. Protect user privacy, security, and rights throughout implementations.”

New America’s recommendations include policy measures to ensure that age verification requirements are narrowly tailored to limit burdens on freedom of expression and access to protected content. They also emphasize the use of best-in-class privacy-preserving techniques and the application of age verification mandates in the least restrictive and most tailored manner.

While age verification seems like a simple solution, it poses both technical and political challenges, endangering user rights, privacy, and security. As it stands, no currently implemented age assurance solution can provide the necessary balance between reliable accuracy and user privacy. However, the technology has improved, and New America endorses ZKPs as part of the potential solution, once again pointing to the CNIL study, which tested various methods for age verification.

Ultimately, New America is cautious about age assurance in general, emphasizing that ZKPs can make data sharing safer but should be used sparingly to avoid placing burdens on user access and freedom of expression. The thinktank also expresses concern over the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding Texas’ right to impose age verification requirements on adult content sites, highlighting the potential for further legislative action in this area. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is Trusted Connections on Roblox?

A: Trusted Connections is a new feature on Roblox that allows users to communicate more freely with people they know and trust, using facial age estimation technology to verify the ages of users.

Q: How does facial age estimation work on Roblox?

A: Facial age estimation uses a video selfie matched against Persona’s datasets to estimate the age of users. This technology helps confirm users’ ages and enables access to Trusted Connections.

Q: Who can add Trusted Connections on Roblox?

A: Users aged 13 to 17 who have their age confirmed can add each other as Trusted Connections. Teens (13 to 17) can also add users 18+ who they know in real life through a QR scan or Contact Importer.

Q: Is age estimation mandatory on Roblox?

A: Age estimation is optional on Roblox. Users over 13 can still verify their age with an ID, and in the future, verified parental consent will be an option.

Q: What is NetChoice’s stance on age verification laws?

A: NetChoice, an industry lobby group, is against age verification laws, arguing that they violate the First Amendment and infringe on parental rights to determine what is right for their families. 

More Related Topics :