The St. Thomas Police Service is continuing its weekly “Cyber Spotlight” series today, aimed at helping families navigate online safety this summer.
Here’s Corporate Communications Coordinator, Samantha Wakefield with the theme for this week.
Roblox is one of the most popular online platforms for children and teens, allowing users to create, share, and play millions of different games designed by other players.
With so much content, Wakefield says parents need to be aware of hidden risks.
Police have posted a step-by-step safety guide of What Parents Need to Know:
- User-Generated Content: While most games are child-friendly, some user-created “condo games” may include inappropriate themes, simulated adult content, and explicit language.
- Chat & Voice Features: Roblox includes text and voice chat options. Without proper privacy settings, kids can be exposed to strangers attempting to lure them into private messages or off-platform interactions.
- Predator Activity: Despite some safety features, Roblox remains a known target for online predators. Fake profiles can bypass age filters and access chat features meant for younger users.
- Personal Info Risks: Users’ account info, including date of birth, helps determine access levels—but this is only effective if entered accurately. Kids often bypass filters by entering a false age.
Roblox Safety Tips:
- Turn on Restricted Mode: Found in “Privacy” under “Settings,” this limits who can send friend requests and messages.
- Set Up Parental Controls: Add a PIN in the “Parental Controls” tab to prevent unauthorized changes to account settings.
- Disable Chat & Voice: Parents can choose to turn off both features entirely.
- Monitor Play Time: Regularly check which games your child is playing and who they’re interacting with.
- Talk About Chat Room Dangers: Remind your child to never share personal information, photos, or follow strangers to private games or other platforms.
Roblox can be a safe and fun place to play when the right conversations and controls are in place. Help your child build digital confidence—and keep predators out of the game.
The Cyber Spotlight launched last week with a look at Snapchat. Each Monday through the summer, the service will highlight new apps or games, offering practical tips for safer screen time.
Written by: K. Freeman
