Roblox wants to offer virtual dating: parents react with alarm

It was an ordinary day in the Roblox universe when, without warning, CEO David Baszucki dropped a bombshell that sparked a debate across social media and the media: his vision for Roblox to be a platform for adults to have virtual dates . He expressed this during an interview on the TechStuff podcast, where he shared his idea of turning Roblox into a space to combat loneliness.

The proposal sounds noble in theory: that people over 21, with verified ID, can find partners in a safe digital environment. But there's a huge problem: 40% of Roblox's monthly active users are under 13. And that number isn't insignificant, considering that Roblox attracts 380 million players each month.

The parent community was quick to react. This isn't just irrational fear, but real-life experiences. Roblox has been accused of failing to ensure sufficient safety for minors , and cases of abuse and inappropriate contact on its servers have been documented by media outlets such as Bloomberg .

Between 2018 and 2024, at least 24 people were arrested in the US for using Roblox as a means to contact, manipulate, or abuse minors. Can we really talk about "virtual dating" without radically strengthening security measures?

Baszucki defends his vision with an emotional approach: “There are parents who have told us, 'My son is alive because he met people on Roblox.'” According to him, this platform could be a tool to help people who are lonely or have mental health issues.

But the line between therapeutic and risky is very thin . Roblox is already struggling to clean up its reputation, and this initiative could be seen as fuel on a barely contained fire.

Even if online dating were exclusive to adults with verified IDs, it's well known that online verification systems can be circumvented . Examples abound: from fake profiles to the recent use of Death Stranding 2 's Photo Mode to evade verification in the UK.

Roblox isn't just a video game. It has transformed into a space where experiences are created, where people learn, share, and now, according to its CEO, where people could love . But the question remains: should a platform with millions of minors as users prioritize features that could compromise their safety? Baszucki sees it as "a work with morality and ethics," an optimistic technological evolution. But many parents, experts, and users wonder if this futuristic vision is disconnected from the current problems of multiplayer.