disclaimer: slightly biased as i've made USD from Roblox

it's really interesting to me seeing the debate around age verification from both sides. many Roblox developers and users seems to think that it's the end of the platform:

> Awesome! We love mandatory identity checks and age verification on every major social platform. Nobody needs privacy online. Thank you Roblox.

> No just no. This won’t work, this is too enforcing on the users and greatly invades our privacy

and then on the other side we have people saying it's a token gesture that doesn't go far enough:

> It could have adopted age verification before a wave of state legislation signaled that it would soon become mandatory anyway

my personal view on the matter is that, while age verification certainly reduces privacy, it was basically the only option left for Roblox to pursue - it's a move that absolutely will reduce child abuse on their platforms, and make it safer for kids to play online.

they also have one of the best privacy policies for age verification around.

(for context, they delete facial geometry immediately and store IDs for 30 days maximum. one alternative, Persona, used to hold IDs for up to six years, and currently have no set time limit on how long they keep other personal information)

> t's a move that absolutely will reduce child abuse on their platforms, and make it safer for kids to play online.

Playing an online game under your own name exposes you to entirely new and massively more acute level of risk practically immediately. Absolutely no way I would allow my kids to give their real names to a game.