In seven days my young alter ego is cyberbullied and attacked while exploring clubs, casinos and horror games, all with parental controls in place. Is the platform safe for children – or an ‘X-rated paedophile hellscape’?
I am an eight-year-old girl, standing near-naked in a room full of strangers.
As the room spins and zooms upon me and people glide around me, I clock my features.
I don’t look eight. I look like a grey Barbie doll, complete with cleavage and bare feet locked uncomfortably in the high-heel position. I have a large block head that resembles a grey marshmallow.
I’m in the world of Roblox, where block-like avatars transform themselves to explore a universe comprising millions of user-generated games. The platform boasts more than 100 million active daily users. Almost half are children under 13 and, in Australia, a 2024 study found that kids who used the site play for an average of 137 minutes a day.
