7 Insider Tips to Keep Your Teen Safe on Roblox (What Parents Need to Know)
If your teen spends hours on Roblox, you’ve probably asked yourself the same questions most parents are quietly Googling: Is Roblox safe? Who are they talking to? What are they actually doing in there—and how do I protect my teen without blowing up our relationship?
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That’s exactly why I dedicated a full episode of the Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam Podcast to this topic.
In this episode, I sit down with Tami Bhaumik, Vice President of Civility and Partnerships at Roblox, to pull back the curtain on what Roblox really is, how safety actually works behind the scenes, and what parents can do right now to keep their teens safer online—without resorting to bans, constant monitoring, or daily screen-time wars.
What stood out most in our conversation? Parents don’t need more fear-based warnings. They need clarity, practical tools, and a better way to stay connected to their teens in a digital world that isn’t going away.
Below are 7 insider tips, based directly on that conversation, to help you protect your teen, reduce anxiety, and replace power struggles with smarter, calmer guidance.
1. Understand What Roblox Actually Is (This Changes Everything)
One of the first things Tami clarified on the podcast is that Roblox isn’t a game—it’s a platform made up of millions of user-created games and experiences.
That means your teen isn’t just “playing Roblox.” They’re moving between very different digital spaces, each with its own purpose, social rules, and risks.
Why this matters for safety:
You can’t protect what you don’t understand. Safety improves when parents know where their teen is spending time, not just how long.
Podcast takeaway:
Tami emphasized that this single misunderstanding fuels most parental fear around Roblox.
Try this:
Instead of asking, “How long were you on Roblox?” ask:
👉 “Which experience were you in today?”
2. Turn Safety Into a Shared Project (Not Surveillance)
One of the most surprising insights from the episode?
Teens actually want parents involved—just not hovering or interrogating.
Tami shared that Roblox’s teen council (ages 14–17) specifically asked for features that support parent involvement without control.
Podcast takeaway:
When parents play Roblox with their teen—even once—defensiveness drops and honesty goes up.
Try this:
Ask your teen to teach you their favorite game.
Play once. Laugh at how bad you are.
Then ask casually:
👉 “Can you show me how you block or report someone if they get weird?”
You’re not spying. You’re teaching digital street smarts.
3. Use Roblox’s Parental Controls (Most Parents Don’t)
During the episode, Tami walked through Roblox’s parental controls—and most parents are shocked by how robust they actually are.
Parents can (with teen approval):
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set time limits (even in 15-minute increments)
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view friends lists
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manage spending
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block or mute users
Teens also have wellbeing tools like Do Not Disturb, which lets them play solo without social pressure.
Podcast takeaway:
Safety tools work best when parents and teens set them up together.
Try this:
Visit corp.roblox.com/safety with your teen and explore the controls side by side.
4. Know About Roblox’s Biggest Safety Upgrade: Age Estimation
One of the most important moments in the podcast was Tami explaining Roblox’s rollout of facial age estimation for communication.
This technology:
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estimates age via a live selfie
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places users into age-based communication groups
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limits contact with adults unless parents approve
Podcast takeaway:
This is designed to reduce adults posing as kids—not to collect personal data.
Try this:
When it becomes available in your region, require age estimation for chat and explain why it matters.
5. Stop Obsessing Over Hours—Watch Behavior Instead
Parents often asked Tami the same question you’re probably asking:
How much Roblox is too much?
Her answer (backed by research and echoed in my clinical work): There is no magic number.
Podcast takeaway:
Not all screen time is equal—coding, creating, and calming games are very different from passive consumption.
Watch for real red flags instead:
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sudden mood changes
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not eating or sleeping
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extreme withdrawal from offline life
Those signal it’s time to lean in—not just tighten rules.
6. Set Limits Like You Would at Work
This was one of the most practical moments in the episode.
Pulling your teen mid-game is like yanking you off a work call. It creates instant resistance.
Podcast takeaway:
Respectful transitions reduce power struggles—without removing boundaries.
Try this:
👉 “Dinner’s in 30 minutes. Just giving you a heads up so you can wrap up.”
👉 "Would you like a 10-minute warning too?”
Dinner still happens. The limit still holds. The fight usually doesn’t.
7. Teach Reporting Skills—Not Just Avoidance
Roblox includes a Report Abuse feature inside games and on the platform, backed by AI systems that detect grooming patterns and escalate serious concerns.
Podcast takeaway:
True safety comes from empowerment, not avoidance.
Make sure your teen knows:
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how to block and mute users
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how to report concerning behavior
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when to come to you or another trusted adult
Confidence is protective.
Final Thoughts: Safety Comes From Understanding, Not Control
Parents who listen to this episode and then explore Roblox with their teen almost always say the same thing: “I feel so much better now.”
Not because risk disappears—but because fear shrinks when understanding grows.
Roblox doesn’t have to be a battleground in your home. With the right tools and mindset, it can become a place where your teen builds skills, connection, and digital confidence—with you as a guide, not a gatekeeper.
🎧 Listen to the Full Episode
Want to hear the full conversation from the Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam Podcast and get the complete breakdown of Roblox safety tools, screen-time boundaries, and how to stay connected with your teen while they game?
Listen here:
And if Roblox is a constant fight in your house right now, start with this one simple move today:
Ask your teen to show you their favorite Roblox experience—then have them teach you how they block, mute, and report sketchy behavior.
