Prime Time's Roblox Wake-Up Call: How Irish Parents Can Protect Their Children Online

Wednesday's Prime Time broadcast on RTÉ has sent shockwaves through Irish households, as undercover testing revealed young children on Roblox could access experiences featuring sexualised role play, gambling-style mechanics and discussions about self-harm. For parents across Cork and Ireland, the question is no longer whether online gaming poses risks, but rather how to navigate these platforms safely without simply switching off the internet.

The investigation comes as Detective Superintendent Michael Mullen from the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau warned (via RTE) that children are being groomed and exploited on gaming platforms at an "alarming scale", with investigators seeing cases progress from game contact to other apps where monitoring is weaker.

Understanding Roblox's unique risks

Roblox is not simply another game, but rather a platform hosting millions of user-created experiences accessible to children as young as five years old. According to the platform's metrics, over 150 million people use it daily, with one-third being under 13. This massive scale, combined with adults and children sharing the same virtual spaces, creates unique safeguarding challenges.

Mick Moran, former Garda officer and current CEO of Hotline.ie, confirmed Irish children are absolutely being groomed on the platform, dispelling any notion that such risks only affect families elsewhere. The investigation captured attempts by seemingly older players to move younger users onto private messaging apps, where parental oversight and platform monitoring become impossible.

Roblox's response: New safety measures rolling out

In response to growing pressure, Roblox announced it will require age verification for anyone using chat functions from early 2026 Roblox. The system will use either facial age estimation or government ID verification to place users into age bands such as under-9, 9-12, 13-15 and similar groupings.

Chat will be restricted so younger users mainly communicate with others in similar age groups Roblox, with specific provisions for families through "Trusted Connections" allowing verified relatives to communicate across age brackets. For children under nine, chat in experiences will default to off unless parents provide consent after completing age verification Roblox.

However, experts cautioned these measures alone cannot eliminate all risks. The fundamental challenge remains that adults and children can still enter the same virtual spaces, creating opportunities for inappropriate contact even with chat restrictions.

Practical steps Irish parents can take today

Rather than panic or immediately delete gaming apps, parents can adopt a layered approach combining technology, communication and supervision.

1. Master the platform settings

Before making any changes, sit with your child and ask them to demonstrate how they use Roblox. Which games do they play? Who appears on their friends list? Do they use text or voice chat? This conversation alone provides valuable insight whilst showing your child you take an active interest in their digital life.

For Roblox specifically, ensure your child's account has their correct birth date entered, as under-13 accounts receive stricter chat limits automatically. Navigate to Privacy and Parental Controls settings to restrict who can message your child, follow them into games, or chat with them. For younger children, consider setting most options to "Friends" or "No one".

If your child is not old enough for mature content or voice chat, verify these features remain disabled and protect changes behind a parent PIN. Help your child review and remove anyone from their friends list they cannot clearly identify from offline interactions.

2. Build multiple layers of protection

Many Irish families now use several tools working together rather than relying on a single solution. This approach might include:

Device-level controls such as Google Family Link on Android devices and Chromebooks, or Apple's Screen Time on iOS and macOS Webwise, which allow parents to set time limits and restrict apps by age rating.

Third-party parental control applications like Qustodio or similar services (these examples are not sponsored recommendations, but commonly used tools) can provide dashboards showing usage patterns, alerts for risky searches, and options to block particular sites or games.

Router-level filters prevent any device on your home network from reaching specific domains or content types, creating a baseline of protection across all connected devices.

The key principle is that no single product provides complete protection. Each layer addresses different risks and together they create more comprehensive safeguards than any individual tool.

3. Establish clear household rules

Technical controls work best when supported by simple family agreements. Consider rules such as:

Devices used for online gaming remain in shared family spaces rather than bedrooms. Younger children only play with headphones off when adults are present, allowing ambient monitoring of conversations. Any request for personal information, photos or secrets, or suggestions to move conversations to other apps, must be reported immediately to a parent. The child should leave the game and tell an adult without fear of consequences.

Webwise Ireland suggests keeping language age appropriate and focusing on helping children recognise uncomfortable situations rather than simply banning apps Webwise.

4. Teach children to recognise grooming

Grooming rarely begins with obviously inappropriate content. Gardaí highlighted risks around sharing personal information, images and accounts that can be used for fraud or coercion.

Help children understand in age-appropriate language that online people are not always who they claim to be, even if their avatar looks like a child. A stranger offering gifts in games can still pose dangers. It is never acceptable for anyone to ask for photos, request secrets be kept from parents, or suggest moving to different apps.

Practice simple responses children can use:

"I only play with people I know in real life" or "I am not allowed to chat in private, I have to stay in the main game."

If you suspect grooming or harm

Should you believe your child or any child has been targeted:

Stay calm and listen without expressing shock or anger. The child needs to know they will be believed and not blamed for what happened. Preserve evidence by taking screenshots of usernames, chat logs, friend requests and any off-platform messages. Do not confront the other person directly.

Report through Roblox's in-platform tools to flag the user, game and any concerning content.

For serious concerns, especially where images have been shared or threats made, contact An Garda Síochána. Their online child exploitation pages explain how reports are handled and the role of Hotline.ie in dealing with illegal content.

Support the child emotionally. Children and young people can contact Childline 24/7 on 1800 66 66 66 or via online chat at Childline.ie Better Internet for Kids if they need someone independent to talk to.

The wider picture beyond Roblox

Whilst Roblox faces particular scrutiny due to its size and young user base, the core risks apply across online gaming and social media platforms. Webwise Ireland provides comprehensive resources for parents on online gaming safety WebwiseWebwise, emphasising that open, regular conversations about life online prove as important as filters or control apps.

New safety features including mandatory age checks represent responses to real regulatory and parental pressure. They may reduce some risks but will not eliminate the basic reality that spaces where children and strangers interact require ongoing oversight.

For Irish parents, the goal is not deciding "Roblox yes or no", but rather building a family culture where children feel able to discuss their online activities and where adults possess the tools and confidence to intervene early when something feels wrong.

Important note: This article is independent and for general information only. Any products or services mentioned, including Qustodio and Google Family Link, are examples based on common use and are not sponsored recommendations. If you are in immediate danger or believe a child is at immediate risk, contact emergency services on 999 or 112.

You can watch the full Prime Time investigation "Inside Roblox" rte on RTÉ Player.