Roblox CEO Interview: Heated Debate on Child Safety

Roblox CEO Discusses Age Verification and Child Safety Concerns

Dave Baszucki, the CEO of Roblox, recently participated in an interview on The New York Times’ Hard Fork podcast. The discussion centered around the platform’s newly implemented age-verification system.

New Age-Verification Feature Details

The new feature necessitates that all users provide a facial scan to gain access to Roblox’s messaging functionalities. Baszucki initially detailed the mechanics of this system during the interview.

Frustration with Focus on Child Safety

However, the conversation shifted towards concerns regarding child safety on the platform. A report alleging that Roblox prioritized expansion over user safety prompted a noticeably frustrated response from Baszucki.

He expressed his weariness with the repeated questioning, stating, “Fun. Let’s keep going down this.” This indicates a potential discomfort with the line of inquiry.

Agreement on AI Improvement and Shifting the Conversation

When co-host Kevin Roose suggested that enhancing AI models could significantly improve child safety measures, Baszucki responded with enthusiasm. He affirmed, “Good, so you’re aligning with what we did. High-five.”

Baszucki then emphasized his desire to discuss a broader range of topics. He stated, “I want to highlight, I came here because I love your podcast and came to talk about everything.”

Desire for a Comprehensive Discussion

He further clarified that while he was prepared to dedicate an hour to discussing age-gating, his intention was to engage in a more comprehensive conversation. “So if our PR people said, ‘Let’s talk about age-gating for an hour,’ I’m up for it, but I love your pod. I thought I came here to talk about everything.”