Kids wanting to maintain their privacy from their parents is nothing new. However, as a parent, you’re right to be concerned about whether or not your child is playing Roblox.
Roblox is an online platform designed for creative play and connectivity. Users come together to create and play games, buy virtual items, and connect with other players. Millions of children across the world play Roblox on a daily basis.
With recent discoveries of predatory behavior on the platform, it’s more important than ever for parents to be mindful of how their child is spending their time online. Just because you may have implemented a no-Roblox rule in your home, doesn’t mean the rule is being adhered to.
Despite the games’s popularity, there are obviously many Roblox account privacy concerns for parents. Here’s what you need to know about how your child might be hiding their Roblox account from you.
How Your Child Could Have a Hidden Roblox Account
Understanding how kids hide Roblox accounts from their parents is crucial to protecting them. Here’s what you need to know:
Creating Multiple Roblox Accounts
Roblox only supports one gaming profile at a time. In other words, they can only have one account that’s attached to their current username. However, children and teens have wised up and found a way to circumvent this by creating multiple accounts. At signup, all Roblox requires is a username, password, gender, and birthdate, making it easy to create multiple aliases.
This being said, Roblox does have measures in place to detect multiple accounts, such as identifying similar gaming behaviors and tracking IP addresses. However, there’s always the possibility that multiple account activity may go unnoticed for a while.
Accessing Roblox on Several Devices
In the same vein as creating and using multiple Roblox accounts, your child may also be accessing the game on multiple devices. Roblox can be played on several devices, so your child could bounce between their smartphone, laptop, iPad, or Xbox One. Knowing where the game can be accessed can ensure you check all the devices in the house.
Disabling Parental Controls
Roblox does have parental controls that it recently put in place for players under 13 that limits the amount of time they play the game and who they can connect with. In order to set up these controls, parents are required to create a Roblox account and link it to their child’s account.
However, disabling these parental controls is incredibly easy. All a child has to do is log in to the parent’s account, go to “Settings,” “Parental Controls,” and “Settings You Manage,” and adjust the settings accordingly. Of course, this only applies to children who have access to one Roblox account.
Using a Private Internet Browser
Though nothing you do on the internet is private, browsers do offer the option for users to hide their activity from prying eyes. Take Google’s Incognito Mode, for example. With it, you get to hide your browsing history from being saved to your Google account. Other internet browsers such as Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge offer similar features, called Private Window, Private Browsing, and InPrivate Mode, respectively.
Children and teens may utilize these private browsers to keep gameplay hidden on both PCs and smartphones. Once they close out the browsing tab, proof of gameplay disappears along with it.
Signs That Your Child Could Be Hiding Their Roblox Account From You
Recognizing the signs that your child could be hiding a Roblox account from you is the first step in ensuring their safety online. Here are a few notable signs to watch out for:
Acting Secretively
Be mindful of how your child acts when you enter their room. Do they immediately close the laptop, turn their phone over, or minimize their screen? Do they hesitate to share what they and their friends are doing online or when they hang out with one another?
Small signs like this could indicate that they’re doing something you either explicitly told them not to, or that they are trying to hide something they think will get them in trouble.
Unexplained Charges on Your Account
Roblox enables players to use real money to buy clothing and accessories for their avatars, as well as animations, limited user-generated content, and game passes. They can also purchase private servers, which are designed to offer a more intimate gaming experience with friends or those the player personally invites.
Prices for these items vary but usually range between $4.99 and $25. Roblox also offers subscriptions at $4.99, $9.99, and $19.99 a month. If you notice unexplained charges in these amounts, it may be a warning sign that your child has a Roblox account. Also, keep watch for any receipts from gaming or department stores like GameStop, Target, or Walmart, as these retailers all sell Roblox gift cards.
Using School-Related Devices More Frequently
If your child has access to a school-related device such as a laptop or iPad and they are using it more often than usual, it may be a sign that they’re playing Roblox or another online game. Though schools try to block access to online games, children may be able to circumvent this to access the platform with the use of a virtual private network, or VPN.
VPNs can disguise IP addresses, letting children gain access to content that is normally restricted. Because VPNs mask IP addresses, it makes it easier to hide online activity, such as virtual gameplay. Despite most VPNs costing money, many offer free trials that your child may sign up for and use until the trial ends.
Why Roblox is Dangerous
Roblox is popular—coming in as the 5th most popular PC game according to Newzoo. However, it’s also dangerous. Reports of illegal gambling and predators infiltrating the game to connect with and lure children have prompted Roblox to update their parental controls. These measures have included the ability for parents to link their account with their child’s, limiting screen time, and creating age gates that limit the player’s ability to chat with other users on the platform. The key word here, however, is limit, meaning that parents must still be incredibly vigilant about their child’s activity in the Roblox-verse.
Despite parents’ best efforts, their ability to safeguard their child’s usage of the game is limited in most regions once their child turns 13. Once a player turns 13, Roblox opens up different features, including the ability to add their e-mail and phone number, direct message with other players, and use their phone number to find friends. Worse, once they turn 13, most parents will no longer be able to limit their child’s gameplay, manage their privacy settings, or receive notifications about financial transactions. Gamers 13 and older will also be able to be added to chats by friends without their parent’s permission.
Managing and Monitoring Your Child’s Roblox Activity
The above information is scary to read and it can feel like you have no recourse, but there are some proactive steps you can take to mitigate the danger.
Communicate the Dangers of the Game With Your Children
You may be able to limit your child’s exposure to games like Roblox when they’re home. However, you may not be able to keep a watchful eye when they’re at school or their friend’s house. As such, you need to communicate the dangers of Roblox with your child.
While you will want to offer age-appropriate insight, communicate the importance of Stranger Danger with them. Remind them to not share their name, age, where they attend school, or other personal details with anyone online, nor should they agree to meet up with someone outside of the game. Furthermore, remind your kids to trust their instincts. If something doesn’t feel right to them, it probably isn’t.
Maintain Honest Communication
In addition to the safety tips offered above, it’s important to maintain open and honest communication. Let your child know that they can come to you, without fear of judgment, if something happens in a game that makes them uncomfortable.
Remember, the goal is to keep them safe. Knowing they can come to you, despite having played the game in secret, is crucial to keeping them safe and, if necessary, documenting evidence if you decide to pursue legal action.
Familiarize Yourself With the Game
The best defense is a great offense. Familiarizing and educating yourself about the game, slang words that are used to talk about it, how it can be hidden, updates to parental controls, and what the potential threats are enables you to not only keep track of gameplay but sniff out anything suspicious and take timely action.
To stay up to date on what’s happening in the Roblox sphere, try setting up a Google alert on your account. They’re free to use and all you have to do is type in your desired topic—in this case, Roblox. When news about the game comes out, you’ll be the first to see it.
Anapol Weiss has been following and is part of the lawsuits against Roblox since 2023. We encourage you to check out our other blogs about Roblox, including "Free" Gaming Isn’t Free: The Real Costs of Letting Kids Play Roblox and Guide to Roblox Lawsuits and How to Sign Up.
Was Your Child Harmed While Playing Roblox? Contact Anapol Weiss in Philadelphia to File a Lawsuit
For parents who are concerned about their child’s safety on popular gaming platforms such as Roblox, knowing how they might be hiding their account is paramount. At Anapol Weiss, we are dedicated to providing legal recourse for families who have been harmed by this gaming platform and pursuing justice. Attorney Alexandra Walsh is spearheading the fight against Roblox, who ramped up their parental controls too little, too late.
If you have questions about whether or not you have a case, give us a call at 215-608-9645 and speak to a member of our team. We’re here for you in the fight against Roblox and securing justice for your child.
Disclaimer: This blog is intended for informational purposes only and does not establish an attorney-client relationship. It should not be considered as legal advice. For personalized legal assistance, please consult our team directly.
