Manuel Ransán, from Secure Internet 4Kid, the online security center for minors of the National Institute of Cybersecurity (Incibe), ensures that Roblox is one of the online gaming platforms for children that is working the most on the issue of security. However, Ransán warns that in the virtual world there are different types of danger that can be found.
The most frequent, he explains, are that of finding inappropriate content, such as sexual language or images, or fraud attempts, since in different video games real money is handled (in the case of Roblox rbxoffers, to acquire virtual currencythat allows to obtain benefits in the dynamics of the games).
There is also the possibility of encountering bullying attitudes or developing obsessive behavior among the youngest. Although it is very residual, the possibility that sexual predators try to approach minors through the digital environments they frequent cannot be completely excluded, Ransán says.
Before a total ban on access to video games, it is preferable that parents try to accompany their children in the consumption of these platforms and try to understand their operation, according to the expert in cybersecurity for minors.
It is recommended that they use the game first with the child, the first few days they mess with him and see what it consists of, says Ransán. Other measures are also advisable, such as putting the computer or tablet in a common place in the house to keep an eye on it and talking with the minor to find out about their virtual activities.
At Roblox there are currently more than 40 milliononline games. Almost half of American children ages 9 to 12 actively use it, according to company data. Ransán believes that platforms like this are interesting tools because they foster creativity and imagination and allow developing digital skills, socializing and teamwork.
However, he believes that it is important to convey to children the common sense of adults when using them. The kids will know more about technology, but we about life a little more, he reflects.
Successful among the youngest, the video game has already starred in news due to the presence of political groups in the past.
It is not new that Roblox is often used by different political platforms to impregnate their ideas in sectors of fairly young players, which is why it is perhaps not surprising that supporters of Donald Trump have made an attack on the successful multiplayer video game in search of support for the current president of the United States for his reelection in office for the November elections.
According to information from Bleeping Computer, several users reported seeing their pirated profiles with messages calling their owners, mostly children, to request their parents to vote for the Republican candidate in this year's presidential elections.
As well as the abbreviation MAGA 2020 —Make America Great Again, a fairly common motto in the controversial businessman's campaign. The action on these accounts went further and they also would have caused the massive sending of messages among users asking for the vote for Donald Trump, while others have reported seeing their avatars dressed in clothing typical of New Yorker rallies.
The British BBC has contacted those responsible for the video game to learn more about this action without a response at the moment. Bleeping Computer, meanwhile, estimates that at least 1,000 users have alerted to the attack.
As we told at the beginning of this news, it is not the first time that the integrity of Roblox has been exposed in the presence of political groups, and in the middle of last year we echoed a growing concern about the appearance in Roblox of supremacist groups white. We must remember that the video game accumulates more than 100 million players , being especially popular with children.
Microsoft, one of the most important companies and a pioneer in the development of technologies, has a fundamental commitment to its users: eradicating all kinds of digital abuse, including child abuse.
For this reason, on January 9, Courtney Gregoire, Microsoft's head of digital security, announced, through a statement, the creation of Project Artemis , a tool to prevent any attempt at child abuse online for digital platforms.
According to the statement, the project began its development in November 2018, in collaboration with The Meet Group, the popular game Roblox , Kik and Thorn , the latter is a company specialized in developing technology to defend children against sexual abuse.
Starting on January 10, 2020, Thorn will be in charge of managing the project for all those who want to try and use this technique.
Microsoft also points out that while it is not the definitive solution against these abuses, it is an important step for the company itself in trying to prevent child abuse on any of its platforms.
Finally, the statement stresses that as a non-profit company - Microsoft - they have a responsibility to create software , devices and services that have built-in security features from the start to detect and disrupt illegal content, including sexual exploitation.
This tool is relevant because several games have online conversation chats integrated, which are convergence points for both children and adults.
The success of Roblox does not stop and it already exceeds a figure of income within the reach of very few games
A few months ago we reported in 3DJuegos that Roblox was already a phenomenon that looks from you to you at Minecraft , and such is the case that, like the title of Mojang , its success is far from being extinguished and, in fact, it does not stop grow to exceed only $ 1 billion in historical revenue to date on mobile devices alone.
In this sense, always according to the market research firm Sensor Tower, Roblox has generated 435 million dollars so far this year , 30% more than the total achieved in 2018 thanks to such lucrative months as August, with 50 millions of dollars, which exceed what was entered by the video game in 2016.
Roblox already has 290 million downloads on smartphones and tablets, with 75% coming from Android although it is the users of iOS (iPhone and iPad) who have contributed the most to the coffers of those responsible for the MMO, 67% of the total. Recall that the adventure was launched, originally, in 2006 for PC.
