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Roblox adds age-based accounts for kids and teens

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Roblox adds age-based accounts for kids and teens

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If your child plays Roblox, they are part of a massive global audience. Roblox has reported more than 144 million daily active users, with a large share made up of kids and teens who log in to play games, create content and connect with friends. That reach is exactly why a new change rolling out in early June matters.

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Roblox is introducing two new account types designed to better match what kids play and who they can talk to based on age. The shift centers on structure. Instead of one shared experience with layered controls, Roblox is building separate environments for different age groups. As a result, content, chat and parental controls will adjust automatically as a child grows.

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Roblox rolls out a new AI system that analyzes entire scenes in real time to detect harmful content across its platform. (Brent Lewin/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

 

What are Roblox Kids and Roblox Select accounts?

Roblox is dividing younger users into two groups, each with its own rules and experience.

Roblox Kids (ages 5 to 8)

This is the most restricted environment. It is designed for younger children who need tighter guardrails.

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  • Access limited to games rated Minimal or Mild
  • Only games that pass a three-step review process
  • Chat is turned off by default
  • A distinct visual design so parents can easily recognize the account

The idea here is simple. Kids see a limited version of Roblox that removes riskier content and disables communication.

Roblox Select (ages 9 to 15)

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This group gets more flexibility, but still within limits.

  • Access to games rated up to Moderate
  • Same multi-step game screening process
  • Chat settings remain on by default in most regions
  • Visual indicators show the account type

At this stage, Roblox assumes users can handle a broader range of experiences, but still keeps filters in place.

How Roblox decides what games kids can play

Not every game makes the cut. Roblox is adding a continuous evaluation system that runs behind the scenes. Here’s how it works:

1) Developer verification

Creators must verify their identity, enable two-step security and maintain a Roblox Plus subscription.

2) Real-time evaluation

Older users, age 16 and up, effectively test new games first. Roblox studies how they interact and reviews reports before exposing those games to younger players.

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3) Content eligibility check

Games receive maturity ratings such as Minimal, Mild or Moderate. Certain categories, like social hangouts or free-form drawing, are excluded by default for younger users. This layered approach combines AI moderation, human review and real-world gameplay signals.

Age checks now control the entire experience

Roblox is expanding the same age-check system it introduced earlier this year for chat.

  • Users under 9 Roblox Kids
  • Users 9 to 15 Roblox Select
  • Users 16 and older standard with Roblox account

If a user does not complete an age check, they face stricter limits. They can only access lower-rated games and cannot use chat. Once verified, the system automatically moves them into the correct account type.

Roblox officials say the new system aims to proactively protect children while maintaining gameplay for compliant users. (Riccardo Milani/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images)

 

Accounts evolve as kids grow

There is no need to manually switch settings over time.

  • At age 9, users move from Kids to Select
  • At age 16, they move to a standard account

This automatic progression is designed to simplify things for families while keeping protections in place at each stage.

Parental controls get more precise

Roblox is also expanding what parents can do.

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  • Block specific games through age 15
  • Manage direct chat settings until age 15
  • Approve access to individual games outside default limits
  • View what games kids play and who they interact with

These tools give parents more direct control instead of relying only on broad content filters.

A move toward global content ratings

Later this year, Roblox plans to align with the International Age Rating Coalition framework. That includes familiar systems like ESRB in the U.S. and PEGI in Europe. The goal is to make ratings clearer and more consistent across regions. 

Why this matters to families

This update changes how Roblox works at a fundamental level. Instead of asking parents to constantly adjust settings, the platform builds age-appropriate experiences from the start. It also reflects a broader shift in tech. Platforms are under pressure to design safety into the product, not tack it on later.

As Larry Magid, CEO of ConnectSafely, an organization focused on helping families navigate digital safety, put it:

“By combining age assurance, stronger creator accountability, and parental controls, Roblox is helping set a higher standard for how platforms can better protect younger users while preserving positive online experiences.”

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Roblox targets nuanced rule-breaking by analyzing avatars, text and environments together instead of in isolation. (JasonDoiy/Getty Images)

Roblox is not removing risk entirely. No platform can. What it is doing is tightening the structure around how kids interact with content and other players. For parents, this could make things simpler. For kids, the experience will feel more tailored to where they are in life. The bigger question is whether this becomes the norm across gaming and social platforms.

If platforms start shaping experiences based on age by default, does that improve safety or limit how kids explore and learn online? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Technology

Did the Pope use AI to write about the dangers of AI?

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Did the Pope use AI to write about the dangers of AI?

It’s possible that AI was used to write parts of Pope Leo XIV’s latest encyclical about AI’s impact on humanity. An analysis by Linch Zhang posted on the forum LessWrong found certain paragraphs of Magnifica Humanitas to be between 40 percent and 100 percent written by AI, according to the popular AI detector Pangram.

The document includes known traits that appear in AI-generated writing, such as a higher use of the word “genuinely” — which crops up in writing by Anthropic’s Claude — than previous encyclicals, Zhang says. Another person ran the text of the document section by section through Pangram, finding that 62 percent of its first chapter was flagged as AI generated. When The Verge ran roughly 2,000 words of the document through Pangram, it estimated that 46 percent was AI-written.

AI detection isn’t foolproof

Still, other portions register as being written by humans. Zhang notes that Pangram flagged some sections as “essentially 0% AI.” The first 20 paragraphs of the last four encyclicals, when run through Pangram, had a 100 percent confidence of being human written. And a transcript of Pope Leo’s speech, run through Pangram, was also rated as 100 percent human.

AI detection isn’t foolproof. Different AI detectors can display different results, and even when there’s consensus there’s no guarantee they’re correct. But Pangram is generally respected among AI researchers. In March 2025, Pangram said it estimated its false positive rate of reporting human-written work as AI-generated “to be approximately 1 in 10,000.”

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Encyclicals are lengthy letters published by the pope, meant to impart teachings that address important moral and social challenges of the time, according to The New York Times. This encyclical is the pope’s first, with the most recent one written by Pope Francis in October 2024. It’s also the first to focus on AI and its wide-ranging influences, with Pope Leo notably presenting it alongside Christopher Olah, a co-founder of Anthropic.

The Vatican didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.

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FTC reveals where spam calls hit hardest

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FTC reveals where spam calls hit hardest

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Your phone lights up. The number looks local. You answer because maybe it is the doctor, the school, a delivery driver or someone you actually need to hear from. Then comes the pause.

That tiny silence before a recorded voice kicks in has become one of the most annoying sounds. Spam calls have turned the phone in your pocket into a daily guessing game. Is this real? Is this urgent? Or is someone trying to trick me?

In its latest report, the Federal Trade Commission says consumers filed more than 2.6 million Do Not Call complaints. Robocalls made up most of the complaints tied to Do Not Call violations.

So, where are these calls hitting hardest, what kinds of calls are people reporting most and what can you do before the next unknown number shows up on your screen?

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Spam calls often look local or familiar, which can make people more likely to answer before realizing something feels off. (Jacob Wackerhausen/Getty Images)

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What the FTC spam call data shows

The FTC’s 2025 National Do Not Call Registry Data Book tracks complaints about unwanted telemarketing calls. It also breaks down whether those calls came from live callers or robocalls. The most reported topics included debt reduction, imposter scams and medical and prescription calls. That mix says a lot. Scammers and aggressive telemarketers often reach people when money, health, bills or personal information are involved. Those are the moments when people feel rushed or unsure. They are also the moments when one bad call can do real damage.

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Where spam calls hit hardest

Arizona had the highest complaint rate in the country in the FTC’s latest 2025 report, with 1,028 Do Not Call complaints per 100,000 people. Tennessee followed with 1,017 complaints per 100,000 people.

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Nevada, Illinois and Florida rounded out the top five states for complaints per 100,000 people.

That ranking shows where unwanted calls hit hardest once population is factored in. Still, spam calls can hit anyone with a phone.

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Why robocalls keep reaching your phone

A robocall uses a recorded or automated voice message. Some robocalls are legal. A school alert, pharmacy reminder or flight update may use automated calling without trying to sell you anything. Sales robocalls are different.

The FTC says a robocall trying to sell you something is illegal unless the company got written permission from you first. The company also has to be clear that it is asking to call you with robocalls. It cannot force you to accept those calls just to buy a product or use a service.

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Yet illegal robocalls keep coming because the math works for scammers. Calling technology is cheap. Scammers can send huge numbers of calls quickly. They can also spoof caller ID, which makes a call look like it came from a local number or a familiar organization.

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That is why a nearby area code can be so misleading. The call may look local, but the person behind it could be anywhere.

Why the Do Not Call Registry cannot block every spam call

The National Do Not Call Registry can reduce unwanted sales calls from legitimate companies that follow the law. It lets consumers add their phone numbers and opt out of most legal telemarketing calls. But scammers are not worried about following the rules.

That does not make the Registry useless. It can help you spot suspicious calls faster. If you are on the Registry and still get a sales call that violates the rules, treat that call with extra caution. The FTC says the Registry had about 258.5 million active registrations as of Sept. 30, 2025.

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Spam call red flags to watch for

Spam calls often rely on pressure. The caller wants you to act before you think.

Be careful if a caller says you owe money and must pay right away. Watch out for anyone who asks for gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers or payment apps.

Also, be skeptical of callers who claim to be from Medicare, Social Security, your bank, a utility company or law enforcement. Scammers use familiar names because they know people pay attention.

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If someone calls unexpectedly and asks for personal information, hang up. Then contact the company or agency using a number from its official website, your statement or the back of your card.

Ways to stay safe from spam calls

Spam calls are easier to handle when you slow everything down. These steps can help you avoid the trap before a scammer gets you talking.

1) Let unknown spam calls go to voicemail

If the call matters, the person can leave a message. Scammers often hang up when they hit voicemail. This simple habit can keep you out of fake emergencies, fake debt offers and fake account warnings.

2) Do not press a number to opt out

A robocall may say, “Press 2 to be removed.” That sounds helpful, but it can backfire. The FTC says pressing a number to speak to someone or remove yourself from a list will probably lead to more robocalls. Hang up instead.

3) Turn on spam call blocking from your carrier

Most major wireless carriers offer spam detection or call blocking tools. Check your carrier’s app or account settings. These tools will not catch every call. Still, they can reduce the number of obvious junk calls that reach your phone.

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4) Use your phone’s built-in spam call controls

On iPhone, go to Settings > Apps > Phone > Screen Unknown Callers. From there, you can choose Never, Ask Reason for Calling or Silence. Choose Silence if you want unknown callers sent to voicemail. You can also go to Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Filtering and turn on available spam filtering options if your carrier supports them.

On Samsung, open the Phone app > three dots > Settings > Caller ID and spam protection. Turn it on, then enable Block spam and scam calls. You can choose the level of blocking that works best for you. You can also go to Phone app > three dots > Settings > Block numbers and turn on Block calls from unknown numbers. Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer

5) Use a data removal service

Your phone number, home address, relatives, age and other personal details may already be listed on data broker and people-search sites. Scammers can use that information to make a call sound more personal.

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A data removal service can help remove your information from many of these sites and keep checking when it comes back. You can also do this manually, but it takes time because each site has its own opt-out process.

This will not stop every spam call. However, it can reduce how much personal information scammers can find about you online.

The FTC’s latest 2025 data shows Arizona, Tennessee, Nevada, Illinois and Florida had the highest complaint rates once population was factored in. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com

6) Register your number with the Do Not Call Registry

Add your personal phone number to DoNotCall.gov. It is free, and it can help reduce legal telemarketing calls from companies that follow the rules.

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The Registry will not stop every scam call. However, it can make illegal or suspicious calls easier to recognize.

7) Report and block illegal spam calls

Report unwanted telemarketing calls at DoNotCall.gov. The FTC asks consumers to report the number that received the call, the number shown on caller ID and the date and time, if possible.

Even if the number looks fake, report it. The FTC analyzes complaint data and calling patterns to help identify illegal callers. It also shares reported numbers with partners working on call blocking and labeling tools.

After you report the call, block the number on your phone. Scammers may spoof new numbers, but blocking still helps cut down on repeat calls from the same source.

8) Never give personal details to an unexpected caller

Do not confirm your Social Security number, Medicare number, bank details, password, one-time code or home address during an unexpected call. If the caller claims to represent a real company, hang up. Then contact that company using a verified number.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Spam calls have become one of those everyday annoyances that can turn serious fast. One minute, you think you are answering a local call. The next, someone may be trying to scare you into paying a fake bill, sharing personal information or pressing a button that leads to even more calls. The FTC’s latest data shows complaints are rising again, and robocalls remain a major part of the problem. Arizona, Tennessee, Nevada, Illinois and Florida saw the highest complaint rates once population was factored in. The best move is to slow everything down. Let unknown numbers go to voicemail. Do not press buttons during robocalls. Turn on your carrier’s spam tools and use your phone’s built-in call protections. If an illegal call gets through, report it. The big takeaway: caller ID no longer deserves blind trust. A number can look local, familiar or official and still be fake.

Let unknown calls go to voicemail, turn on spam call protections and never share personal details with an unexpected caller. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

How many times have you answered a call because the number looked familiar, only to realize you may have just helped a scammer know your line is active? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.

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Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.  

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Google Health is here, but a lot of people want their Fitbit app back instead

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Google Health is here, but a lot of people want their Fitbit app back instead

The Fitbit app is no more. Along with the launch of the new Fitbit Air (which you can expect a full review of once we’ve spent more time with it), Google has officially replaced it with Google Health, as previously announced, and many of the responses we’ve seen so far are full of confusion, frustration, and requests to get the old app back.

One post on Reddit calls out a common issue, saying, “I can’t even completely fill up my home screen. They only have 2 large tiles available and I can’t just scroll down to see everything.” The landing page has a small section up top showing steps and some other basic stats, but part of the app’s main page is now reserved for recent activity updates and chatty notes from Google’s AI health coach.

The AI didn’t have much to say to me, but for my senior editor, Richard Lawler, it started a conversation about today’s plans that he wasn’t quite ready to have with a chatbot.

Screenshot: Richard Lawler / Google

Not everyone is annoyed by the AI bot however, with one person commenting, “When I ask it to design a moderate workout using my office gym equipment, circuit style, I usually end up feeling great afterwards.” Another person called it “quite a helpful feature,” showing how they were able to update their sleep log with a missed session by chatting with the AI bot.

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Another user said, “This graphic UI looks like something an 8 year old would make,” while someone else complained, “Why must I now scroll through paragraphs of AI slop on every tab before I can actually see my activities and data? I don’t want or need to read platitudes about my 15 minute walk to the grocery store. I want to see my stats from my morning run.”

One post on Google’s help center sums things up, saying, “This app is a huge disappointment and a total time drain to get minimal results. How can I get back to using what worked?!” Many others were in agreement, with one reply saying, “it’s no longer a genuine fitness app.”

On Google’s blog post, its sample image shows a version of the Today screen with all of the information and an AI chat that we couldn’t get to show up, but did appear for some users. There doesn’t seem to be any way to remove the Ask Coach / activity window that takes up so much of the screen, but the bot can be disabled from within the new app’s Feature Privacy Controls.

1/3

Most of the Google Health landing page is updates from the AI health coach.
Screenshot: Stevie Bonifield / Google

Even though I knew the switch to Google Health was coming, I was still disoriented for the first several minutes after opening the app this morning.

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If you want to see more of your stats and health tracking data, you have to either swipe left in the small top box on the “Today” page or tab over to the “Health” page. To find logs for my rowing workouts that I had stored in the old Fitbit app, I had to go into “Health,” then down to the “Fitness” section in “Focus areas”, where my logs were viewable under “Exercise days.” In the old Fitbit app, I could see the “Exercise days” block by just scrolling down on the app’s main “Today” page.

According to a support page, if you have a supported wearable connected, Google Health shows two additional tabs for Fitness and Sleep that would make things easier, but before the redesign I didn’t need those. While Google’s Rishi Chandra told The Verge earlier this month that Google Health will eventually support third-party wearables, my Nothing Watch Pro 3 currently isn’t enough to unlock those two extra tabs.

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