Roblox announced it will launch a new age verification system in Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands during the first week of December, with a worldwide rollout planned for early January 2026. The system will require users to verify their age to use private messaging and will introduce age-based chats, limiting interactions to peers of a similar age. This move comes as the company faces growing criticism over child safety and as Australia prepares to enforce a social media ban for users under 16, starting December 10. The proactive implementation of age checks appears to be a direct response to heightened regulatory scrutiny and legislative actions in multiple countries aimed at protecting young users on online platforms.