A brand-new voice calling feature has been added to the video game platform Roblox. Dubbed Roblox Connect, the voice call function has been criticised for adding dangerous content for its younger audience of gamers.
Revealed last December, the Roblox Connect feature can be added into the best Roblox games. Players are able to become virtual avatars in faux video calls that allow them to chat behind a fake face.
In a press release on the Roblox blog, it was revealed that the feature is now available for users aged 13 and up on the video game platform. The blog post explained that users who create games on the service will be able to add the functionality into their experiences, if they wish.
While some are excited for the addition of the video calling service, many are worried that the system will be abused by wrongdoers and predators on the Roblox platform.
“Instead of trying to fix the problems of predators on Roblox, add more features to help them. Awesome job Roblox,” one user commented. “This is a bad idea Roblox, and especially on your platform because this is where most predators are coming from, and it makes it way easier for predators to prey on children,” said another.
Other fans explained that the feature itself isn’t banned, but should be limited to the Roblox platform’s adult-only experiences. Earlier this year, Roblox announced support for 17+ experiences on the platform that would require ID verification to access.
Some fans have also expressed worry that the service will be abused in the same way as the now-defunct video calling platform Omegle, a service that was abused by predators. Via our sister site StealthOptional, the platform was closed partially due to its use by online predators.
As one of the largest gaming platforms in the world, Roblox has been adopted by millions of children across the world. With the platform already suffering from abuse by older users, many believe the addition of calling tools is a bad move.
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