In a time when the smartphone your average person carries around with them in their pocket is literally millions of times more powerful than the guidance computer that NASA used to send men to the moon in the 1960s, it should come as no surprise that the possibilities of what we can do with these magical little devices is practically limitless.

This world of “limitless possibilities” has also given rise to the popularity of online games, which has only increased over the last few years.  Today, one of the most popular online gaming platforms is called Roblox.  Originally launched in 2006, it began as a relatively small enterprise; today, it’s used by millions of people across not only mobile devices, but also computers running the Microsoft Windows and MacOS operating systems, too.

What is Roblox?  Facts and Figures

Roblox allows users to create their own games using a predesigned game engine, dubbed “Roblox Studio”.  For video game lovers or creative people in general, it’s the perfect way to bring their vision of a perfect virtual world into reality — without needing to spend countless years learning to code in the process.  Because of this, it’s become popular among younger people, in particular.  Roblox also hosts both real-life and virtual events, allowing users to buy and trade in-game items and currency and more.

As you can imagine, Roblox exploded in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic.  In March 2020 alone, Roblox saw a massive 40% jump in the number of worldwide users.  If you think back to that time, this makes sense as we were all attempting to find new and creative ways to spend our time at home as lockdown mandates went into effect around the globe.

Note also that this came on the heels of Roblox earning a $4 billion valuation and getting a $150 million financing round just a few weeks earlier in February of that year.  Fast-forward just a year later, and Roblox had an active user base of more than 164 million people.  It was estimated by The New York Times that about three-quarters of all children in the United States between the ages of 9 and 12 were on the platform.  Collectively, they spent three billion hours using Roblox in July 2021 alone.

How to Set Up a Roblox Account

Creating a new Roblox Account is simple: All you have to do is head to the platform’s official sign-up page and supply the requested information.   Make sure that your child uses a password that isn’t easy to guess and that they will not share with anyone (aside from their parents).  The actual account creation process is free, so you will not be asked for money at any point to join the service. 

How to Monitor Your Child’s Roblox Account

Thankfully, the development team behind Roblox understands that the majority of its users are young children, and there are many concerned parents out there who just want to keep their kids safe online.  Because of that, they’ve included a plethora of helpful tools that can allow you to monitor what your child is doing and see who they’re interacting with on a regular basis.

In the lower right corner of the main Roblox account screen, for example, you can open up the “Chat” feature.  Here, you’ll find histories of every interaction your child has had with “Friends” and “Friends of Friends.”  To see who your child may have been sending private messages to, select the “Messages” option.  To see which accounts they’ve chosen to follow and which ones follow them back, select the “Friends” option.

How to Supervise In-Game Purchases, Online Interactions and More

As mentioned, Roblox is a “Free to Play” game, but it does allow for in-game purchases, a business model that has become increasingly common in recent years.  Users can create purchasable content that others can buy, known as “Game Passes” or “Products.”  While only administrators of the Roblox platform can sell items like body parts or gear, “products” can be created by anyone.  The in-game virtual currency that you buy with real money is called Robux.

Even Roblox’s own documentation is quick to point out that “there is no such thing as free Robux.”  When monitoring your child’s interactions, remember that you should never trust any player or website that says there is a secret way to get this free in-game currency.  There isn’t one.  Likewise, legitimate employees of Roblox will never give out free money, nor will they ask for sensitive information like an account password.

If you do see your child interacting with someone who breaks these rules, you should document their account information and head straight to the “Report Abuse” page to file a report.  If nothing else, this will stop them from preying on other vulnerable young kids who are trying to use the service. 

Again, remember that all in-game purchases are ultimately being made with real money.  If you don’t want your child to be able to make purchases at all, do not add a form of payment to the account.  If you are open to them making in-game purchases and want to be able to closely monitor exactly how much money they’re spending, go to your child’s Roblox account in your Web browser and select the “My Transactions” and “Trades” options.  This will give you a detailed breakdown of exactly what they’ve been up to and, more importantly, with whom.

It’s also important to note that Spokeo has created a helpful tool that you can use to verify the identities of people (18 and over) that your child may interact with on Roblox, or on any other online platform for that matter.  It’s simple to use — all you need to do is enter their name, phone number, email address or physical address and Spokeo can help make sure they are who they say they are.

If nothing else, this can be another useful way to protect your child online and to prevent any unfortunate issues in the future, which in and of itself may be the most important benefit of all.

Sources:

• The New York Times – Where Has Your Tween Been During the Pandemic? On This Gaming Site
• Roblox – How to Report Rule Violations