"In 2016, I presented at @Roblox Indie Game Developer Meetup about design strategy as an indie developer. Back then, I had no idea children as young as 5 were interacting with random adults on their platform. Today, the same company (NYSE: $RBLX) is filled with poorly moderated "games" like Bathroom Simulator and worse - all while letting adults animate their avatars for sexual role play."
"In contrast, on my own marketplace app - Sprocket (a peer-to-peer bicycle platform) - I've spent years doing the opposite: * Proactively blocking under-18 users ( its explicit in the TOS/PP ) * Working directly with Apple & to improve their developer systems * Advocating for real age-verification tools like Apple Wallet ID & AI-driven age-detecting/gating like what just shipped * Pushing for per-US-state distribution controls so developers can comply with new child-protection laws without being crushed by disabling all of the US market 💵"
Roblox hosts poorly moderated content and allows adults to sexualize avatars, enabling young children to interact with random adults. Market incentives at publicly traded companies can prioritize adult spending over child safety. Many platforms still use outdated email/SIM logins that fail to verify age. Sprocket enforces under-18 blocks in its terms, collaborates with Apple to improve developer systems, and advocates for Apple Wallet ID and AI-driven age verification. Sprocket also pushes per-state distribution controls to help developers comply with child-protection laws. New 2025–2026 laws will require better authentication while balancing privacy and innovation.
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