Roblox has begun rolling out new measures to comply with Indonesia’s under-16 online safety regulations, announced by the country’s communications minister in Jakarta on April 30.
The move follows stricter national rules aimed at protecting minors across digital platforms, though initial disclosures did not specify all implementation details.
To meet the new requirements, Roblox will introduce facial age verification for all users under 16 in Indonesia. It will also launch Roblox Kids, a version designed for children aged 5 to 12 with no chat functionality, and Roblox Select for users aged 13 to 15, where chat is limited to family and friends.
Additionally, chat features will be automatically disabled for users under 16 who fail to verify their age.
Key Highlights
- Roblox introduces facial age checks and chat limits for under-16 users in Indonesia
- Indonesia bans minors from major platforms, setting strict regional precedent
- New rules may force global tech firms to build country-specific products
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Roblox described these measures as among the strictest child safety protections it offers globally.
The focus on Indonesia reflects its user demographics, where 23 million of its 45 million users are under 16, making it a critical market for compliance.
The new rules are part of a broader regulatory push. Indonesia has classified major platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram as high-risk platforms.
The country has also become the first in Southeast Asia to ban children under 16 from holding accounts on several large services, including Roblox. Similar restrictions were previously introduced in Australia.
These regulations could force global tech companies to develop country-specific product features, potentially fragmenting user experiences across markets.
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If successful, Indonesia’s policy may serve as a model for other nations, increasing compliance costs and operational complexity for global platforms while reshaping online child safety standards worldwide.