Gaming platform to use facial age estimation to limit chats to similar age groups, as allegations of grooming grow

From next month it will start enforcing facial age estimation to allow children to chat with strangers only if they are in their broad age group.

Roblox compared its new system to school cohorts such as elementary, middle school and high school. It will be introduced first in Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands, where children will be blocked from privately chatting with adults they do not know in real life from next month, and in the rest of the world in early January.

Users will be placed into the following groups: under nine, nine to 12, 13 to 15, 16 to 17, 18 to 20, or 21 and over. Children will be able to chat only with others in their age group and similar ones. For example, a child with an estimated age of 12 will be able to chat only with under-16s. Images and video used for the checks would not be stored, Roblox said.

@[email protected]
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32d

That would be stupid, many games rely on chat and aren’t exclusively played by children

@[email protected]
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32d

You are correct, Pedophiles also play.

MotoAsh
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-32d

and? Why do you want to enable pedos?

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62d

This argument is just silly.

>Uses an iOS device

>Wants to be able to install third-party apps

>“Why do you want to be able to allow viruses?”

MotoAsh
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2d

This isn’t about sideloading. This is about adults mingling with children on Roblox. Interesting how you miss the point so thoroughly.

@[email protected]
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-22d

If this isn’t bait, congrats, you just missed the entire point of the analogy.

While we’re at it, let’s remove commenting and posting from Lemmy for people that aren’t administrators.

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12d

If Lemmy was a child’s game and it was full of pedophiles actively grooming them then yes we would need to shut it down. Your analogy misses the point completely.

We’re are dealing with a child’s game where pedophiles are actively going after youth right now as we type.

They should be shutdown and charges pressed against the developers for allowing this. This is the only way forward at this point.

Your point about taking away chat ruining the game is also nonsensical. Only some RP would be affected and could be gotten around easily with a dialogue tree.

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Word games? Multiplayer competitive games?

It’s not just a roleplaying game.

Despite being pretty important to the gameplay, should the developers of other games primarily played by underaged people be forced to ban chat? Like other bigger multiplayer games like Fortnite, Among Us, Valorant, CSGO, etc.

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Ahh I see your confusion. First of all we are dealing with a specific game used in a specific way.

If culturally pedophiles would do scrabble tournaments for kids then people would react and say we should stop scrabble tournaments because pedophiles have captured them.

This is not saying adults can’t play Scrabble, just that scrabble tournaments run by pedophiles aren’t cool.

Roblox is being used as a similar tool.

Good news is there are lots games like Roblox with better graphics and gameplay that are not infested with pedophiles trying to groom kids.

So you are not being deprived of anything, unless of course you are a pedo that wants to groom kids on Roblox.

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32d

I can see where you’re coming from. But calling Roblox a “specific game” isn’t entirely accurate because it’s got millions of separate ones.

Sure, the majority of Roblox players are kids. But iirc about half are adults. It’s not literally 99% kids with the remaining 1% being pedophiles like you suggest.

Removing the chat function entirely isn’t the solution; pedos would just move somewhere else. Maybe all online chat should be restricted to those 18 and older?

MotoAsh
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removed by mod

Dremor
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11d

Considering your own argument length, I don’t think he’d need to invest more energy to make a more compelling one to counter yours.

So either elaborate yours, or go look at at the concept of “Bullshit‑asymmetry principle” (and associated concepts) when you’ll have time.

MotoAsh
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1d

lol what a joke. Others have already explained it, and you are absolutely ridiculous for defending that buffoon.

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1d

I’m a “buffoon” for disagreeing with you and for you not understanding an analogy?

That seems pretty childish, and you come across as an edgy teenager that wrongfully assumes they’re better than others.

MotoAsh, please consider stepping away from the internet the next time someone upsets you.

Dremor
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41d

Doomsider sure explained it better than you did, and he did defend his opinion, which you didn’t. Throwing strawmen arguments and insults around doesn’t do anything to allow meaningful conversations.

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12d

removed by mod

Dremor
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11d

While I kinda admire your dedication at writing such lengthy insult, I’d like to remind you this is not an acceptable behaviour here.

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