Parents’ Guide to Safety on Roblox and Discord, Gaming and Online Friendships

The online space is becoming the norm across most aspects of everyday life. While online platforms can provide healthy social communication, it is important that young people and adults understand the risks and how to use online platforms safely.

Roblox is an online gaming platform where users can design their own games and play a wide variety of games. Roblox holds millions of user-created games and can be a space for creativity and invention. However, Roblox lists their minimum user age as young as 5 years of age and parental controls to be engaged for under the age of 13 years old.

A recent study concluded that an estimated 1.7 million young Australians are engaged on Roblox with 61% of children aged between 6 and 13 years old. The platform hosts around 151.5 million daily users with approximately 44% of those being over the 17 years-old. Restrictions have been put on under 16-year-olds in Australia for a variety of social media sites, however despite its chat function, Roblox is widely considered a gaming platform and does not currently have the same safety restrictions as other apps. Read on as we discuss Roblox safety, Discord safety, and online gaming awareness and safety practices for parents.

Roblox safety concerns – the in-game spending and addiction risks

Roblox is the in-app currency that can require the use of real money and thus can be subjected to addictive behaviours, particularly with presentations more susceptible to this dopamine reward system boost. A study by the University of Sydney has likened the Roblox in-game spending mechanisms to be similar to “child gambling”, “scams” and “cash grabs”, with results explaining how this causes harm to young people. Parents have reported feeling overwhelmed to protect their children, whereby the deceptive and confusing nature creates a cycle of spending that can lead to significant emotional and financial distress.

Professors have stressed the need for e-safety and enacting mechanisms to protect children, as the reward mechanisms increase the likelihood of problematic gambling and addictive behaviours later in life. Such problematic behaviours learnt from an early age can manifest into adulthood, leading to increased stress, anxiety, and impacts on impulse control, executive functioning and decision-making. Overall, it is important to recognise the ways in which technology can impact the brains’ reward pathways, particularly in children during their developmental years.

The benefits and risks of Roblox’s social features

Roblox includes a variety of social hangout functions, where you can text, voice chat or create with other users on the platform. Similar to discord chat functions, there are a variety of positives for overall health and wellbeing, including social connection, friendship, belonging, creativity and self-expression, stress-relief, learning digital literacy.

The language and communication styles children are exposed to online are increasingly shaping the way they interact with others and may influence their social and emotional development. Play remains an important part of healthy childhood development, supporting communication, empathy, and relationship-building skills. However, schools are beginning to observe concerning patterns in the way some children communicate with peers, including the use of inappropriate or harmful interaction styles learned through online content and digital platforms.

Child safety issues on Roblox and Discord – is it safe?

Roblox is currently facing approximately 35 separate lawsuits investigating claims of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Whilst there are systems in place to report inappropriate behaviour, there has been growing concerns about online child grooming and sexual exploitation.

Roblox is in the hotspot, rightfully so, to ensure safety and regulations are acceptable to protect society. Without the appropriate safety precautions children could be exposed to pornography, violent content, hate speech, abusive speech and bullying and more.

Understanding the broader impact of excessive screen time

Gaming, Xbox, Nintendo switches, YouTube, PlayStation, phone games, social media, kids messengers and chat forums, the list goes on, all have benefits for functioning, though can all fall under the umbrella of excessive screentime.

Excessive screen time has been linked with:

Increased likelihood of obesity and poor diet
Sleep disorders
Depression and Anxiety
The ability to interpret emotions
Aggressive conduct
Impacts on language development by reducing time spent between child and caregiver
Eye strain, impacted posture or accidents (e.g., viewing a screen while walking)

And a variety of psychological and biological impacts!

The positives of healthy technology use

But what are the positives? Many!

The use of healthy technology use can

Impact cognitive development by fostering accessible and clearly understood learning pathways to improve academic outcomes.
Foster children’s learning, development and play
Critical thinking and access to learning
Promote exercise and active moment
Help children develop skills for problem-solving, social collaboration, communication and creativity!

What can we do?

As technology becomes increasingly integrated into our daily lives, it is important to recognize its many benefits while ensuring we implement safe practices to protect ourselves and our families.

Key focuses can include:

Keeping up to date with understanding gaming platforms and technology mechanisms
Parents setting clear and aligned boundaries with kids around screen usage and safety
Using parental controls wherever possible for safety purposes – is their account set up with their correct birthdate?
Using platforms and digital technology that are age-appropriate
Ensuring children connect online with people they know
Continuing to encourage offline experiences and social interaction
Recognising that various platforms allow for social connection that can be important for overall health and wellbeing, and removing it entirely instead of incorporating safety and open communication, can sometimes lead to more harm
Take an interest in children’s online activities to encourage conversation and trust to express their experiences
Modelling balanced screen habits; we have all been victims of doom-scrolling!

Practical steps for Roblox safety and Discord safety

Do not give away any sensitive information. While this can be common practice for adults, information and understanding for children in their developmental years can be crucial. This includes not sharing the following information:

Name
Age and date of birth
Addresses
School Name, uniform, logo or information
Any bank or card details
Passwords to your accounts or devices
Information about extracurricular activities, location, teacher, company etc.
Photos or videos with environmental cues in the background

Technology, gaming, and online friendships are an increasingly normal part of young people’s lives, and platforms like Roblox and Discord can offer connection, creativity, and enjoyment when used safely. By staying engaged, having open conversations, and following online safety recommendations, parents and carers can help young people benefit from technology while reducing potential risks. Technology is here to stay and with guidance, connection, and awareness, we can help young people grow up using it as a tool for connection and learning, rather than being negatively shaped by its risks.

Source: Diy.org

The following websites contain resources for parent viewing that can assist with the above recommendations to develop digital literacy whilst keeping our kids safe!

For more specific information about Roblox and specific steps that can support parents to create a safe online community click here – https://www.esafety.gov.au/key-topics/esafety-guide/roblox

There are a variety of organisations with support available for young people, parents and people of all ages.

Kids Helpline
Raising Children Network
Beyond Blue
Headspace
13YARN
Reach out
Minus18

Additional questions parents might have

What are the different social media and gaming platforms?

The main platforms kids use include Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Discord, YouTube, and messaging apps like WhatsApp. Roblox and Fortnite also have social features even though they’re technically gaming platforms.

Why is there money coming out of my credit card from Roblox?

Your child is likely purchasing Robux (Roblox’s in-game currency) to buy items, accessories, or game passes. Check if your card is linked to their account and set up parental controls to prevent unauthorised purchases.

What is skibidi toilet, brain rot, and is Roblox where my kids learn these different terms?

“Skibidi toilet” is a viral video series. “Brain rot” refers to low-quality, repetitive online content. Kids pick up these terms from TikTok, YouTube, and gaming platforms like Roblox where they’re exposed to internet culture and memes.

What does 67 or sigma mean?

These are internet slang terms popular with kids. “Sigma” refers to someone who’s independent and doesn’t follow the crowd. The numbers and terms constantly change as new memes emerge online.

How can I ensure my kids have a balance between screen-time and other interactive activities?

Set clear daily screen time limits, encourage outdoor play and sports, schedule family activities without devices, and model balanced screen habits yourself. Make offline activities just as appealing as online ones.