Roblox's latest security update is reshaping the way millions of users communicate — and not everyone is happy about it. After the platform began requiring AI-based age verification to unlock chat features, some players say they've lost access to years-old conversations and are struggling to stay connected with friends they've met in-game.
Roblox began rolling out its new age verification requirement for chat access globally this week, following a limited launch in select regions late last year. As part of the update, users must complete an AI facial age check via their device's camera before they can send or receive chat messages, with gameplay intact. The system groups users by age and restricts communication between adults and children under 16, while parental consent is required for users under 9.
In the update, chat history appears to have become collateral damage in the company's efforts to make the game safer for young players. Players flocked to the Roblox subreddit to share frustrations and mourn lost chat logs.
One user posted a GIF of a scrolling Roblox chat log showing a string of messages that were deleted. “Three years of friendship BTW,” reads the text above the animation.
Other players sympathized with the original poster in the comments, telling their own stories of suddenly losing their memories on Roblox.
“This makes me so sad bro,” wrote one user. “All my chats with some randoms from many years of playing this game are [sic] completely disappeared like what a person thought [sic].”
“Roblox is just trying to gloss over a much bigger problem. They've been called out for not having the best guidelines/protection so they think absolute silence is the answer,” wrote another.
Some commenters argued that players should have already communicated with friends on Discord, even though Roblox rules generally prohibit sharing Discord usernames in chat or profiles as personal contact information or as a way to direct users off the platform, instead directing users to official options such as the platform's social links feature for users over 13 or its built-in Discord–Roblox account link.
Of course, users have always found a way to share usernames, even at the risk of getting into trouble – usually sharing their information on servers where they can post on tags. Some users have pointed out that chat restrictions will push more people off the platform where chats cannot be monitored, which has the potential to increase chats between young and adult players.
“Ultimately, we can't control what happens on other platforms, which is why we invest heavily in tools to prevent platform hopping,” a Roblox spokesperson told Game Rant.
“By requiring age verification for all our users, we are trying to limit communication between minors and adults. We are proud to be a pioneer in this industry and hope others in the industry will follow,” they added.
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Silent servers and fighting AI
For some Roblox players, the impact of the new age verification system was immediate and palpable, with the game's once-busy servers going silent as users lost access to chat or chose not to complete the required checks.
In a blog post about the age verification process, Roblox claimed that tens of millions of daily active users have already completed age verification. According to ActivePlayer.io, a website that provides real-time player count estimates, about 75.8 million players jump on Roblox each month. On the game's main subreddit, several players have mentioned that the game is now quiet without the busy unfiltered chat.
At the same time, the update has fueled opposition to Roblox's use of AI facial age estimation, with critics questioning whether the technology is accurate, necessary or worthy of their trust — especially as it now determines who can speak and be heard on the platform.
Under the new system, users are prompted to complete age verification by scanning an AI facial age estimate using their device's camera before accessing chat features. Roblox says that images and video captured during the process are deleted immediately after they are securely processed and are not stored. The company describes age verification as part of a broader, multi-layered security approach that also includes content filters, restrictions on personal data sharing and community moderation tools, and says users who believe their age has been incorrectly estimated can appeal the result or verify their age through alternative methods, including a government ID or parental controls.
But not all players are ready to hand over their image to the company. Many players refuse to complete age verification due to concerns about how their image will be stored or used to train the AI system, even though the company promises to delete everything.
A Roblox spokesperson told Game Rant that users over the age of 13 can also choose to verify their age through ID verification.
Much of the frustration surrounding Roblox's latest chat update stems from growing legal pressure on the company for child safety. Roblox is currently facing more than 80 lawsuits alleging it failed to adequately protect young users from sexual predators and exploitation, claims that have been consolidated into a federal multidistrict litigation in California in late 2025. The cases allege that lax age controls and unrestricted communication tools have allowed adults to pose as children and contact minors, leading to closer scrutiny of users and restrictions on interaction.
