Yeah, you read that right, Roblox dating is being considered for future inclusion by the CEO of the Roblox Corporation, David Baszucki. He appeared recently on a podcast where he addressed the foundation and current reputation of the platform after facing much scrutiny from parents and players alike. The CEO took on the big question of the “myths” that the long-standing online game is “unsafe”.
As many already know, Roblox started in 2004 aimed at targeting a younger audience, and as it has grown over the years since launch, it has branched out to accumulate all sorts of age groups with its innumerable chat rooms and games. As we are heading into what seems to be a new age of internet etiquette where AI is far more present than ever, we are also heading into a more uncertain era where many unscrupulous types are gaining much easier access to emerging platforms than ever before.
David Baszucki, the CEO of Roblox, appeared on the TechStuff podcast where he addressed the possibility of having a dating feature on Roblox in the future. Baszucki said, “There’s a loneliness epidemic going on. I’ll go out on a limb and say for, in quotes, 21 and up, ID-verified, opted-in, someday we’ll have dating on Roblox. I think a lot of people who might be afraid to go on a real-life date might find it easier to have a virtual date to start. If they connect, they move to the physical world.” This, for me, is a dangerous concept to be toying around with when Roblox has already faced many unfortunate instances of predators plaguing the platform.
As far as his consideration for the protection of its users, Baszucki seems completely certain that Roblox is as safe as it can be in its current state. “We’re thankful that we started with younger people on the platform, because it arguably is a much more difficult area to challenge,” Baszucki continued. “I believe, over time, getting the reputation that Roblox is a dangerous place for bad actors, we do a lot of work with all the three-letter agencies and want to make Roblox a dangerous place for anyone who is thinking about that. We’re moving more and more proactive. We nudge people on the platform when they’re not being so nice or bullying or whatever, and those nudges give an early indication of what we just won’t tolerate on the platform.”
Baszucki has also shared that he is a parent himself, and he is fully aware of the perceptions of many other parents regarding the safety of Roblox. He also suggested that, as a parent, if you aren’t comfortable with your child being on the platform, then you should “follow your intuition,” This comes on the back of what is going on in the UK, with the new Online Safety Law being announced where it falls upon the site owner and developer to make it safe and be responsible for the people using the platforms, rather than putting the responsibility on the parents.
Personally, I think this would be an awful idea. Having a younger sibling myself, I would not want them to be unknowingly falling into that side of things out there on the web. With that said, parents should be responsible for knowing precisely what their children interact with on the internet. However, I do not agree that the responsibility should solely fall to the parents. Website and platform proprietors should also be responsible for managing the safety and well-being of people utilizing their service for legal and ethical reasons. Roblox has already faced backlash with regard to how easy it is for predators to engage with children, and not just this, the fact that law enforcement agencies have to engage on this site makes me think that this would NOT be a good idea.
With regard to it being over 21, it still doesn’t sell the idea properly. As much as ID verification is becoming a larger concern, we have had people using Death Stranding’s photo mode for a workaround on verification sites. If it is that easy to fool certain verification mechanics, then who knows what could happen? In the age of AI, this does not bode well for the future. Parents, hold your children close in these strange times!
What do you guys think? Do you think Roblox should be a platform for dating? Or do you think it should steer well away from the concept? Let us know in the comments below.
